Did you know that people with Down syndrome almost never develop solid tumors or high blood pressure, but their chances of having Alzheimer’s and autoimmune disease are off-the-charts high?
Research on those connections and more has opened windows in recent years into the most commonly diagnosed chromosomal condition in the United States – and nowhere more notably than at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. With the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome led by internationally recognized experts in their fields, the campus has become the scientific epicenter for the condition.
Down syndrome, also called trisomy 21, affects one in 700 babies born in the United States each year. Born with three rather than the typical two copies of chromosome 21, the condition can trigger physical and cognitive issues.
The University of Colorado combines 50-plus labs and 200-plus scientists fueled by philanthropic and federal funds with a strong network of partners to improve the lives of people with Down syndrome and their families. Meanwhile, the world-class work conducted on campus informs science that transforms healthcare for millions of other people with related conditions.
Read more about Down syndrome and the family that helped make Colorado a focal point for both research and care in this month’s issue of the chancellor’s newsletter At the Forefront.