ncrad

What ncrad does

NCRAD (National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias) is a non-profit academic biorepository housed within the Indiana University School of Medicine's Department of Medical Genetics and funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) under cooperative grant U24 AG021886. Established in 1990, the organization provides centralized biospecimen banking, distribution, and study coordination services for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) research, operating from a single Indianapolis facility (351 W. 10th St TK-217).

The repository's core technology is standardized biorepository infrastructure: uniform collection, processing, storage, and distribution of biological samples — plasma, serum, DNA, RNA, CSF, PBMC, buffy coat, iPSCs/fibroblasts, and brain tissue — under harmonized Manual of Procedures and recommended consent language. NCRAD supports a genomic data processing pipeline involving HRC imputation (via University of Michigan server) and 1000 Genomes imputation (using IMPUTE2), in collaboration with ADRCs, ADGC, and NIAGADS. Three core service lines — Sample Banking, Sample Access, and Study Coordination — are supplemented by APOE genotyping, an iPSC banking initiative, a Biomarker Analysis Laboratory with cross-laboratory comparability studies, and an ADCFB data visualization tool. All sample access requires formal application, Material Transfer Agreements, and REDCap-mediated request workflows; no self-serve or API-based access exists.

NCRAD does not generate commercial revenue. Its operating model is grant-funded managed services: NIA cooperative grant funding covers biospecimen banking for participants in 90+ NIA-funded studies (ADNI, DIAN, LEADS, ADRCs, ABC-DS, ALLFTD, 90+, and others), with samples shipped globally to qualified researchers under MTA. Customer segments are academic and clinical researchers, NIA-funded studies, and (indirectly) patients and families who donate biospecimens. Strategic partners include the NIA (funder), ADRCs, ADGC, NIAGADS, NACC, and Indiana University School of Medicine as institutional operator.

Name

ncrad

Legal name

NCRAD - National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (Indiana University School of Medicine)

Website

https://ncrad.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Short description

NCRAD is a non-profit, NIA-funded biorepository operated by Indiana University School of Medicine that banks and distributes standardized Alzheimer's and dementia biospecimens to researchers worldwide. It coordinates 90+ studies, has banked samples from 135K+ participants, and supports centralized sample access, study coordination, and biomarker analysis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. NIA Cooperative Agreement Funding: NCRAD is funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) under cooperative grant U24 AG021886. This is government research funding, not commercial revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NCRAD provides centralized biobanking, biospecimen distribution, and study coordination services for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) research. It stores and distributes biological samples (plasma, serum, DNA, RNA, CSF, PBMC, buffy coat, brain tissue, iPSCs, fibroblasts) and supports genetic, biomarker, and longitudinal cohort studies for qualified academic and clinical researchers worldwide.

Product overview

NCRAD (National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias) is a biorepository operated by Indiana University with NIA funding. It is not a software platform but rather a sample banking and coordination service consisting of three core offerings: Sample Banking Services (storing and distributing biospecimens), Sample Access Services (providing researchers access to cataloged samples), and Study Coordination Services (coordinating specimen collection across 90+ active studies including ADNI, LEADS, DIAN, and others). Additional offerings include the NCRAD Family Study, IU LOAD Study, APOE Genotyping, iPSC Initiative, and Biomarker Analysis Laboratory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sample Banking Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 440K+ aliquots distributed to researchers worldwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ADRCs (Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCRAD collaborates with ADRCs for advancing Alzheimer's disease genetics research. ADRCs contribute participant samples and clinical data to the centralized repository.
• ADGC (Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Consortium)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for genomic data processing and genetic research in Alzheimer's disease. ADGC provides genetics expertise and data analysis capabilities.
• NIAGADS (National Institute on Aging Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease Data Storage Site)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerData sharing partnership for Alzheimer's disease genetics research. NIAGADS serves as a data repository complementing NCRAD's biospecimen banking.
• NACC (National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for operational framework and data sharing protocols. NACC coordinates data collection across ADRCs and shares data with NCRAD for integrated research.
• Indiana University School of MedicinecoreOthersNCRAD is operated by Indiana University School of Medicine's Department of Medical Genetics, providing institutional infrastructure and personnel.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ncrad