The Framingham Heart Study Brain Aging Program (FHS-BAP), established with a $26.56 million NIH grant, builds on the pioneering work of the Framingham Heart Study to advance our understanding of brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Led by Dr. Lindsay Farrer and Dr. Rhoda Au, the program focuses on dementia surveillance, brain donation, and key research areas including vascular and inflammatory contributors to AD, genetic vulnerabilities, and immune function. With nearly 70 years of data, the FHS-BAP embraces a multi-generational, interdisciplinary approach to brain health and precision medicine, fostering collaboration and supporting early-stage investigators to improve health outcomes for future generations.
We manage and share a wide range of curated data from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) to support Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) research. Our data spans from simple demographic and self-reporting information to complex multi-omic, genetic, and digital datasets, including recent additions like voice, image, and digital pen data. We work closely with FHS-BAP cores, contract staff, and external collaborators to ensure high-quality data collection, auditing, and sharing. By facilitating access to both legacy data (e.g., demographics, lab biomarkers, neuroimaging) and emerging clinical and digital markers, we aim to enhance AD-related research and foster collaboration within the research community.
The Framingham Heart Study Brain Aging Program (FHS-BAP) is pleased to announce that its Director, Dr. Lindsay Farrer, has been named a William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor, Boston University's highest distinction for senior faculty. Dr. Farrer is among five BU faculty members recognized for their outstanding contributions to research, scholarship, teaching, and service. His extensive […]
August 27, 2026 Boston University researchers, including Framingham Heart Study Brain Aging Program investigator Lindsay A. Farrer, PhD, have developed and validated a new multi-ancestry polygenic risk score (PRS) for Alzheimer’s disease that improves risk prediction across diverse ancestral populations. The study, published in Nature Genetics, used genetic data from diverse populations to create a […]
The Framingham Heart Study Brain Aging Program (FHS-BAP) has received a $31.5 million, five-year funding renewal from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to continue and expand research on brain aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and related dementias. The renewal builds on decades of longitudinal data from the Framingham Heart Study, allowing researchers to investigate how cognitive […]