Saint Vincent College Secures NSF Grant to Develop AI Tools for Early Detection and Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease

Saint Vincent College has received a $150,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) award as part of a $1 million collaborative grant with the University of Pennsylvania, University of Iowa, and University of Virginia. Led by Dr. Mary Regina Boland, assistant professor of data science and principal investigator, the project, “Personal Determinants of Health-Enhanced Machine Learning Models for Early Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD)”, aims to develop AI-driven tools to identify and predict Alzheimer’s risk earlier and more accurately.

The research will use machine learning and natural language processing to extract hidden personal risk factors, such as education, employment, and lifestyle, from electronic health records, improving early detection and potential intervention for ADRD, which affects over 5 million Americans.

Dr. Boland’s work, which draws on her decade-long research into population-level and environmental health disparities, seeks to uncover new risk factors and better understand the diversity of Alzheimer’s onset across populations. The project will also engage students in hands-on research and modeling, helping train the next generation of health data scientists.

This marks Boland’s second NSF award as principal investigator at Saint Vincent College, reinforcing the university’s growing leadership in data-driven health research and STEM education.