The Zachary & Elizabeth M Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

Rockefeller university - fisher center lab: nathaniel heintz, phd leads the fisher center lab at the rockefeller university, home to one of the largest and most advanced alzheimer's research facilities in the world. His team studies the earliest molecular events of alzheimer'sbefore amyloid-beta (a) plaques and tau tangles form. Their research on selective cellular vulnerability aims to uncover why certain brain cells die earlier than others, which could be key to developing treatments.at the fisher center lab at the rockefeller university, researchers under the direction of nathaniel heintz, phd, continue to unravel the earliest molecular changes in alzheimer's disease, aiming to understand what makes certain brain cells most vulnerable. By pioneering cutting-edge molecular profiling techniques, they are making groundbreaking discoveries that pave the way for better treatments.researchers at the fisher center lab have refined advanced cellular analysis methods to examine how specific brain cell types are affected in the earliest stages of alzheimer's. This year, the team: developed new protocols for analyzing human hippocampus and entorhinal cortex cells. Identified early-stage neuron loss in vulnerable brain layers, offering insights into disease progression. Profiled 204 unique samples across 15 different cell types. Uncovered new transcriptional and epigenetic markers that help explain selective cellular vulnerability.data-driven milestone: this year's data have confirmed known patterns of disease and uncovered new molecular events that shed light on how alzheimer's progresses at the cellular level.understanding disease progression with new staging tools: one challenge in alzheimer's research is accurately determining disease stage in donor brain samples. The fisher center lab has now developed an in-house braak staging platform, ensuring that molecular findings are properly contextualized.recent discoveries: the earliest detectable change occurs in layers 2/3 and 4 of the cortex, reinforcing their susceptibility. No significant loss was observed in layer 5a pyramidal cells, a key distinction between alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. Computational and bioinformatics tools are being applied to compare molecular changes in vulnerable vs. Resistant neurons.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 91.8%; rating input score 92
• Fundraising efficiency: $22.65 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Pass
  • Conducts field audits: Limited
  • May suspend future funding: Limited
  • Requires financial reports: Pass
  • Conducts site visits: Limited
  • Requires grant agreements: Limited
  • May require repayment: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -54.8%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.61; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.39; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.4%; rating input score 65; 65th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 14.2% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 9.9% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 33rd percentile among comparable filings