Daryl Bohac, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry
at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, has been recognized as the
third recipient of the Vada Kinman Oldfield Alzheimer’s Research Fund.
The award carries a $10,000 stipend.
Col. Barney Oldfield established the research fund at UNMC in 1999 in
his wife’s honor. She died in 1999 after an 11-year battle with Alzheimer’s
disease. The award is given annually to an individual with a promising
new idea in Alzheimer’s research.
In addition to the $10,000 annual award, the principal of the endowment
is increased by $10,000 each year. Col. Oldfield has said that once a cure
is found, the money will be redirected to battle other disorders of old
age.
“I’m quite humbled to be selected as this year’s recipient,” Dr. Bohac
said. “I only represent a teamfor things like this to happen there has
to be an environment for that to take place.”
He acknowledged the Oldfields for their generous contribution, as well
as the work and support of William Burke, M.D., vice chairman of the department
of psychiatry; Jane Potter, M.D., section chief of the department of geriatrics
and gerontology; Don Johnson, Ph.D., of the department of pathology/microbiology;
his wife, Kristie Bohac, M.D., and their two children; and the many families
of Alzheimer’s patients.
“This is bigger than all of us,” said Dr. Bohac, who joined the UNMC
faculty in 1997. “We need all of us working together.”
Col. Oldfield did not attend the award ceremony, but relayed
the following message to ceremony attendees: “Vada would want you to do
all that you can, with all that you have within your talents and abilities,
to find some hope for this debilitating disease.”
Dr. Bohac’s responsibilities include neuropsychological assessment
and coordination of clinical research activities. His research is on the
biopsychosocial aspects of caregiver stress. The study, supported by the
Oldfield Research Fund, focuses on the relationship between levels of perceived
stress and biological markers of immune system functioning in caregivers
of persons with dementia.
Past recipients of the award are UNMC’s Vince Thomas, Ph.D., (1999)
and Tsuneya Ikezu, M.D. (2000).
Prior to joining UNMC, Dr. Bohac was the education and family services
director for the Mayo Alzheimer’s Disease Center at the Mayo Clinic department
of psychiatry and psychology, section of neuropsychology. He also served
as an assistant professor of psychology in the Mayo Medical School. A Lincoln
native, he earned his master’s and doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
He has been a member of the Armed Forces for 23 years.
In presenting the award to Dr. Bohac, Ardyce Bohlke, executive director
of Dollars for Scholars and a former state senator, said: “We very much
appreciate the wonderful work you do here in the area of researchto bring
hope to families who suffer from this awful disease.”