The Aggie Transcript

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects an estimated 6.9 million Americans today, a figure expected to rise significantly with population aging [1]. As the most common cause of dementia, Alzheimer’s is a leading contributor to disability and dependency among older adults, placing an immense burden, both mental and fiscal, on patients, families, and healthcare systems. In 2023, over 11 million informal and unpaid caregivers in the U.S. provided 18.4 billion hours of care, valued at $346.6 billion [1].

Currently, over 90,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant in the United States alone [1]. End-stage renal disease affects 2 in 1000 Americans, whose only treatment options are dialysis or a kidney transplant [2]. Dialysis does the work of the kidneys by filtering out waste and excess fluid. However, serious drawbacks include frequent, time-consuming appointments and an increased risk of blood clots, which cause dialysis to fail [3]. Therefore, the ideal treatment option is transplantation of a functioning kidney.