Dr. Real de Asúa MD, PhD (center PI) is an internist and clinical researcher with a special focus on caring for adults with Down syndrome (DS). In his clinical role as an attending physician at the Adult Down Syndrome outpatient of the Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, in Madrid, Spain, he has focused on several areas of healthcare in this population, including cardiovascular health of adults with DS, overall- and COVID-19 related mortality risk factors in adults with DS and Alzheimer’s disease in this population.

The Adult Down Syndrome outpatient unit at the Department of Internal Medicine of the Hospital Universitario de La Princesa (Madrid) is the biggest outpatient clinic of its kind in the Madrid region. It provides care to over 1600 adults with DS, with close to 1000 visits per year. Since 2018, the Adult Down Syndrome unit is an active member of three international research networks: the DEGESCO consortium (Dementia Genetics Spanish Consortium, within the CIBERNED), the Trisomy 21 Research Society (T21RS) and the Reina Sofía Centre/CIEN Foundation (Neurological Disease Research Center). The site has access to a 3T MRI, EEG devices, and has a solid clinical trial unit.

Dr. Shrestha completed his general psychiatry residency at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, OH, and Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry fellowship at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. He specializes in neuropsychiatric disorders, with a particular focus on diagnosis and management of dementia and associated disorders.

Dr. Shrestha has extensive experience in managing memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, as well as aging in Down syndrome. He is the principal investigator at Case Western Reserve University for Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC). He conducts clinical research studies focusing on longitudinal observation of people with cognitive concerns, including Down syndrome, and clinical trials for prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Sarah Savoia received her Master of Medical Science from the Yale School of Medicine. Physician Associate Program and completed her training at the Yale Memory Clinic. Ms. Savoia is now a practicing clinician in cognitive behavioral neurology and an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at UT Health San Antonio. Her clinical and research focus at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s & Neurodegenerative Disease is to transform dementia care management practices for both patients and their caregivers and to investigate for new promising treatments that aim to restore function, with a focus on people with Down syndrome. As a National Institute on Aging (NIA)-designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in South Texas, we are collaborating with other institutions and community stakeholders to improve access to studies and clinical care for previously underrepresented patient populations and to expand our understanding of Alzheimer’s biology to rapidly translate and implement our findings into effective preventive interventions and therapies.