Mayo Clinic Jacksonville is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
Location: Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Type: Academic Medical Center
Founded: 1986 (Jacksonville campus)
Affiliation: Mayo Clinic
Website: [https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-care-and-research/locations/jacksonville mayoclinic.org/jacksonville]
Mayo Clinic Jacksonville is one of three major campuses of the Mayo Clinic, one of the largest and most respected nonprofit medical practices in the world. Located in Jacksonville, Florida, the Jacksonville campus opened in 1986 and has grown to become a major destination medical center with particular excellence in neuroscience, oncology, and transplant medicine.
The Jacksonville campus is home to world-class research programs in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and ALS, with renowned clinicians and scientists dedicated to understanding these conditions and developing new treatments.
Mayo Clinic traces its origins to 1864 when Dr. William Worrall Mayo established a medical practice in Rochester, Minnesota. The Jacksonville campus was founded in 1986, bringing Mayo Clinic's model of integrated clinical practice, research, and education to the southeastern United States.
The Jacksonville campus has grown to include:
- State-of-the-art hospital facilities
- Extensive research laboratories
- Education and training programs
- Over 6,000 employees
Mayo Clinic Jacksonville houses a premier Alzheimer's disease research program:
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center: Comprehensive program investigating disease mechanisms, biomarkers, and new therapies
- Clinical Trials Unit: Testing novel anti-amyloid and anti-tau immunotherapies
- Biomarker Development: Pioneering work on CSF and blood biomarkers
- Neuroimaging Program: Advanced MRI and PET imaging for early detection
¶ Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders
The movement disorders program is internationally recognized:
- Parkinson's Disease Research: Understanding alpha-synuclein propagation, motor and non-motor complications
- Deep Brain Stimulation: Surgical treatment for advanced Parkinson's disease
- Restless Legs Syndrome: Clinical and basic science research
- Ataxia Research: Genetic and therapeutic studies
¶ ALS and Motor Neuron Disease
Mayo Clinic Jacksonville is a major ALS research and treatment center:
- ALS Research Program: Investigating genetic causes, biomarkers, and novel therapeutics
- Multidisciplinary ALS Clinic: Comprehensive care including neurology, pulmonology, nutrition, and rehabilitation
- Clinical Trials: Testing new ALS therapeutics
Mayo Clinic has been instrumental in characterizing frontotemporal dementia:
- Clinical Characterization: Defining clinical syndromes
- Genetic Studies: Identifying mutations in MAPT, GRN, C9orf72
- Neuropathology: Pioneering work on tau and TDP-43 pathology
- Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
- Co-Director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
- Distinguished expert in Alzheimer's disease and dementia
- Key focus: Early-onset Alzheimer's, biomarkers, clinical trials
- Notable Publications:
- "Risk factors for Alzheimer's disease in the Mayo Clinic" (Neurology)
- Multiple studies on biomarkers and clinical characterization
- Director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
- Professor of Neurology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
- Leading expert on normal aging, MCI, and Alzheimer's disease
- Key focus: Longitudinal studies of aging and cognitive decline
- Notable Publications:
- "Mild Cognitive Impairment: Clinical characterization and outcome" (Annals of Neurology)
- "Preclinical Alzheimer's disease: Definition, natural history, and diagnostic criteria" (Annals of Neurology)
- Keith A. Josephs, MD: Expert on FTD and atypical parkinsonism
- Bradley F. Boeve, MD: Sleep disorders and Lewy body dementia
- David S. Knopman, MD: Alzheimer's disease clinical research
¶ Research Centers and Programs
One of 33 NIH-funded Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers in the US:
- Clinical research on aging and dementia
- Neuroimaging studies
- Biomarker development
- Training programs
¶ Center for Neurodegeneration and Repair (CNR)
Multidisciplinary center focusing on:
- Parkinson's disease
- ALS
- Huntington's disease
- Atypical parkinsonisms
State-funded research initiative:
- Biomarker studies
- Clinical trials
- Outreach and education
- Inpatient and outpatient research facilities
- Clinical trials infrastructure
- 3T and 7T MRI scanners
- PET imaging (amyloid, tau, FDG)
- Advanced analysis pipelines
- CSF and blood banking
- Brain tissue donation program
- Genetic samples
| Disease |
Research Focus |
| Alzheimer's Disease |
Biomarkers, early detection, clinical trials |
| Parkinson's Disease |
Alpha-synuclein, DBS, non-motor symptoms |
| ALS |
Genetic modifiers, biomarkers |
| Frontotemporal Dementia |
Clinical variants, tau/TDP-43 |
| Lewy Body Dementia |
Alpha-synuclein, sleep disorders |
- Comprehensive evaluation
- State-of-the-art diagnostics
- Access to clinical trials
- Caregiver support
- Parkinson's disease management
- Deep brain stimulation
- Botulinum toxin injections
- Physical therapy
- Multidisciplinary care
- Respiratory support
- Nutritional guidance
- Clinical trials
Mayo Clinic Jacksonville collaborates with:
- National Institute on Aging (NIA)
- Alzheimer's Association
- Michael J. Fox Foundation
- ALS Association
- Other academic medical centers
- Pharmaceutical industry
Mayo Clinic offers extensive training:
- Neurology residency
- Movement disorders fellowship
- Cognitive neurology fellowship
- Research fellowships
- Graduate student programs
- Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI): Leadership in this landmark imaging study
- BIOMARKAPD: European biomarker harmonization project
- Mayo Clinic Study of Aging: Long-running population-based study of aging
- Clinical Trials: Pioneering immunotherapy trials for Alzheimer's disease
The study of Mayo Clinic Jacksonville has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.
- Petersen RC, et al. "Mild Cognitive Impairment: Clinical characterization and outcome." Annals of Neurology. 1999.
- Graff-Radford NR, et al. "Association between Lewy body disease and Alzheimer's disease." Annals of Neurology. 2014.
- Josephs KA, et al. "The evolution of TDP-43 pathology in the human brain." Brain. 2017.
- Boeve BF, et al. "Validation of the MoCA vs MMSE in patients with Lewy body disease." Neurology. 2019.
- Knopman DS, et al. "Alzheimer disease." Nature Reviews Disease Primers. 2021.
- Rascovsky K, et al. "Sensitivity of revised diagnostic criteria for the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia." Brain. 2011.
- Spina S, et al. "Frontotemporal disease associated with expansions in C9orf72." Brain. 2017.
- Jack CR Jr, et al. "Hypothetical model of dynamic biomarkers of the Alzheimer's pathological cascade." Lancet Neurology. 2010.