ADDF Celebrates Fifth Season of Palm Beach Symposium Series with Lecture and Cocktail Reception to Introduce New CEO

Palm Beach, FL — April 20, 2026 – The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) recently marked the successful conclusion of the fifth season of its Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs Today Palm Beach symposium series at The Society of the Four Arts. Presented in partnership with Palm Beach residents Heidi and Tom McWilliams, the program featured a scientific lecture followed by a reception. 

“This is an unprecedented moment in Alzheimer’s research, with new disease-modifying drugs emerging, a diverse clinical pipeline, FDA-approved blood tests, and proven prevention strategies,” said Howard Fillit, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of the ADDF. “This series reflects the ADDF’s role in catalyzing breakthroughs that are bringing us closer to a future where Alzheimer’s can be effectively treated and ultimately prevented.”

The event marked the beginning of a new chapter for the ADDF, welcoming Isobel Coleman as CEO, who was appointed by the ADDF’s Board of Governors on March 11, 2026, and will lead the organization in conquering Alzheimer’s. With over three decades of experience across the nonprofit sector, private industry, and the federal government, Coleman brings strategic vision, operational rigor, and global perspective. She will build on the ADDF’s momentum to advance high-impact research, forge strategic collaborations, and deploy mission-driven capital to accelerate innovation with partners across the field.

“Alzheimer’s research has entered a new era, and the Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs Today series plays a critical role in advancing our understanding of the disease by convening leaders across pharma, academia, and biotech to drive collaboration and innovation,” said Coleman. “The Palm Beach community’s support for the ADDF and the field is unparalleled. It was a pleasure to connect with so many dedicated supporters and see firsthand the strength of their commitment to our mission. I am honored to lead the ADDF at this pivotal time and look forward to building on this momentum as we advance the next generation of breakthroughs.”

This season of Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs Today featured three lectures from world-class scientists discussing the path toward new, cutting-edge treatments for Alzheimer’s disease in conversation with Dr. Fillit and Laura Nisenbaum, PhD, Executive Director of Drug Development at the ADDF. Speakers and topics included:

Roberta Diaz Brinton, PhD - Regenerating the Aging Brain

Dr. Roberta Diaz Brinton, Inaugural Director of the Center for Innovation in Brain Science at the University of Arizona Health Sciences, presented recent findings from her phase 2 trial, designed to spur the generation of new brain cells and restore lost cognitive function in Alzheimer’s patients, as well as the latest hormone replacement therapy for Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Mark Monane - How Blood Tests Are Transforming Alzheimer’s Patient Care

Dr. Mark Monane, Senior Medical Advisor of C2N Diagnostics, shared how blood tests are transforming the diagnostic journey for Alzheimer's patients and revolutionizing clinical trials. C2N brought the first Alzheimer’s blood test to market with support from the ADDF and is now developing the next-generation PrecivityAD2™ platform, currently under FDA review, to enable global access to precision medicine tools. 

Danielle Graham, PhD - Advancing Biomarkers, Facilitating Alzheimer’s Breakthroughs

The series concluded with Dr. Danielle Graham, Head of Biomarkers and Systems Biology at Biogen, highlighting the latest advances in blood-based and imaging biomarkers, emphasizing their potential to enable earlier diagnosis, improve clinical trial efficiency, and support precision treatments tailored specifically for each patient – the same approach that has proven successful in cancer treatment.

For more information about the ADDF, please visit alzdiscovery.org. 

About The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF)

Founded in 1998 by Leonard A. and Ronald S. Lauder, the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation is dedicated to rapidly accelerating the development of drugs to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer's disease. The ADDF is the only public charity solely focused on funding the development of drugs for Alzheimer's, employing a venture philanthropy model to support research in academia and the biotech industry. The ADDF's leadership and contributions to the field have played a pivotal role in bringing the first Alzheimer's PET scan (Amyvid®) and blood test (PrecivityAD®) to market, as well as fueling the current robust and diverse drug pipeline. Through the generosity of its donors, the ADDF has awarded nearly $400 million to fund 792 Alzheimer's drug development, biomarker, and prevention programs in 21 countries. To learn more, please visit:  http://www.alzdiscovery.org/.

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