The Alzheimer’s Preclinical Efficacy Database (AlzPED) [alzped.nia.nih.gov] was conceptualized by the National Institutes on Aging and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Library to increase rigor and reproducibility in Alzheimer’s research. It was designed for researchers, funders, and data scientists who need quick, detailed information about animal model studies to assess current progress and design future research projects. AlzPED is a strategic tool for the Alzheimer's Disease research community, and could potentially save millions of dollars in time and money. It does this by placing information about therapeutic targets, agents, and animal models in an easily searchable and digestible format. Information about outcomes and the level of reproducible experiment attributes are also right there.
ZAI’s Project Manager played an instrumental role in the development of this system by having the background knowledge needed to converse with scientists, as well as the project management skills required to get the job done. The Project Manager worked with top scientist to understand their aims, concepts and desired results, and put those objectives into action. The Project Manager worked with scientific team to design the layout and identify existing taxonomies/associated resources to make AlzPED a fluid resource that works well with other resources that provide their own unique and detailed information about various facets of Alzheimer’s Disease research. ZAI staff continue to play an important role as the system evolves, and are able to ensure all AlzPED technical requirements are well defined by using agile methodology, implemented by providing user acceptance testing (UAT), and continue to perform optimally as changes occur by developing and following consistent systematic evaluation procedures.