Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Zachary and Elizabeth M Fisher Center for Alzheimers Research Fdn

EIN 13-3859563 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ZACHARY AND ELIZABETH M. FISHER CENTER FOR ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO ATTACKING THE SCOURGE OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE THROUGH A 3-PRONGED ASSAULT FOCUSED ON UNDERSTANDING THE CAUSE OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE (AD), IMPROVING THE CARE OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH THE DISEASE TO ENHANCE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND THAT OF THEIR CAREGIVERS AND FAMILIES, AND FINDING A CURE.

Income
$14.5 million
Spending
$22.5 million
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
11.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%
Employees
11
Volunteers
10
Highest pay
$373,510, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 39% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 55% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 39% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (5)
  1. $5.5 million spent. NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE - FISHER CLINICAL TRIALS:NYU LANGONE CLINICAL TRIALS CONDUCTING 20 TRIALS ON EXPERIMENTAL ALZHEIMER'S TREATMENTS. MARTIN SADOWSKI, MD, PHD, PROVIDES PERSONALIZED COUNSELING FOR PARTICIPANTS, HELPING THEM FIND THE MOST SUITABLE TRIAL.
  2. $5.1 million spent. ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM:FISHER AI PLATFORM FOR ALZHEIMER'S & NEURODEGENERATIVE RESEARCH. THIS INITIATIVE EQUIPS NEUROSCIENTISTS WITH CUTTING-EDGE AI TOOLS TO ACCELERATE DISCOVERIES IN ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH.USING AI TO MAP CELL LOSS AND DECODE GENE NETWORKSWITH THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE FISHER CENTER FOR ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH FOUNDATION, THE FISHER AI PLATFORM (LED BY DR. BARBANO) AND THE LABORATORY OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (LED BY DR. HEINTZ) APPLIED THEIR ADVANCED MFISH3D IMAGING TECHNIQUE TO TRACE HOW BRAIN CELLS ARE LOST OVER TIME IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. THIS APPROACH ALLOWS RESEARCHERS TO SEE, IN THREE DIMENSIONS, WHICH TYPES OF BRAIN CELLS ARE MOST AFFECTED AND WHEN. IN PARALLEL, THE TEAM USED MACHINE LEARNING TO ANALYZE LARGE-SCALE GENETIC DATA, IDENTIFYING KEY NETWORKS OF GENES THAT MAY PLAY A ROLE IN BOTH ALZHEIMER'S AND HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE. THESE TOOLS PROVIDE A MORE DETAILED AND ACCURATE VIEW OF HOW THESE DISEASES PROGRESSAND WHERE TREATMENT MAY BE MOST EFFECTIVE.PREPARING FOR KISUNLA TREATMENT AT NYU LANGONEMARTIN SADOWSKI, MD, PHD, THE INAUGURAL INCUMBENT OF THE ZACHARY AND ELIZABETH M. FISHER PROFESSORSHIP IN NEURODEGENERATION AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, WAS AN INVESTIGATOR ON ONE OF THE CLINICAL TRIALS OF KISUNLA (DONANEMAB), A NEW ALZHEIMER'S DRUG GRANTED FDA APPROVAL IN 2024. HE HAS SINCE DEVELOPED A TREATMENT PROTOCOL TO BE IMPLEMENTED ACROSS NYU LANGONE HEALTH. THE PROTOCOL OUTLINES HOW ELIGIBLE PATIENTS WITH EARLY-STAGE ALZHEIMER'S CAN ACCESS KINSUNLA AND BE MONITORED WHILE RECEIVING IT IN THERAPY. KISUNLA IS EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE TO NYU LANGONE PATIENTS BEGINNING IN JANUARY 2026.
  3. $3.6 million spent. ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY - FISHER CENTER LAB:NATHANIEL HEINTZ, PHD LEADS THE FISHER CENTER LAB AT THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY, HOME TO ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST ADVANCED ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH FACILITIES IN THE WORLD. HIS TEAM STUDIES THE EARLIEST MOLECULAR EVENTS OF ALZHEIMER'SBEFORE AMYLOID-BETA (A) PLAQUES AND TAU TANGLES FORM. THEIR RESEARCH ON SELECTIVE CELLULAR VULNERABILITY AIMS TO UNCOVER WHY CERTAIN BRAIN CELLS DIE EARLIER THAN OTHERS, WHICH COULD BE KEY TO DEVELOPING TREATMENTS.AT THE FISHER CENTER LAB AT THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY, RESEARCHERS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF NATHANIEL HEINTZ, PHD, CONTINUE TO UNRAVEL THE EARLIEST MOLECULAR CHANGES IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, AIMING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES CERTAIN BRAIN CELLS MOST VULNERABLE. BY PIONEERING CUTTING-EDGE MOLECULAR PROFILING TECHNIQUES, THEY ARE MAKING GROUNDBREAKING DISCOVERIES THAT PAVE THE WAY FOR BETTER TREATMENTS.RESEARCHERS AT THE FISHER CENTER LAB HAVE REFINED ADVANCED CELLULAR ANALYSIS METHODS TO EXAMINE HOW SPECIFIC BRAIN CELL TYPES ARE AFFECTED IN THE EARLIEST STAGES OF ALZHEIMER'S. THIS YEAR, THE TEAM: DEVELOPED NEW PROTOCOLS FOR ANALYZING HUMAN HIPPOCAMPUS AND ENTORHINAL CORTEX CELLS. IDENTIFIED EARLY-STAGE NEURON LOSS IN VULNERABLE BRAIN LAYERS, OFFERING INSIGHTS INTO DISEASE PROGRESSION. PROFILED 204 UNIQUE SAMPLES ACROSS 15 DIFFERENT CELL TYPES. UNCOVERED NEW TRANSCRIPTIONAL AND EPIGENETIC MARKERS THAT HELP EXPLAIN SELECTIVE CELLULAR VULNERABILITY.DATA-DRIVEN MILESTONE: THIS YEAR'S DATA HAVE CONFIRMED KNOWN PATTERNS OF DISEASE AND UNCOVERED NEW MOLECULAR EVENTS THAT SHED LIGHT ON HOW ALZHEIMER'S PROGRESSES AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL.UNDERSTANDING DISEASE PROGRESSION WITH NEW STAGING TOOLS:ONE CHALLENGE IN ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH IS ACCURATELY DETERMINING DISEASE STAGE IN DONOR BRAIN SAMPLES. THE FISHER CENTER LAB HAS NOW DEVELOPED AN IN-HOUSE BRAAK STAGING PLATFORM, ENSURING THAT MOLECULAR FINDINGS ARE PROPERLY CONTEXTUALIZED.RECENT DISCOVERIES: THE EARLIEST DETECTABLE CHANGE OCCURS IN LAYERS 2/3 AND 4 OF THE CORTEX, REINFORCING THEIR SUSCEPTIBILITY. NO SIGNIFICANT LOSS WAS OBSERVED IN LAYER 5A PYRAMIDAL CELLS, A KEY DISTINCTION BETWEEN ALZHEIMER'S AND OTHER NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES. COMPUTATIONAL AND BIOINFORMATICS TOOLS ARE BEING APPLIED TO COMPARE MOLECULAR CHANGES IN VULNERABLE VS. RESISTANT NEURONS.
  4. $3.1 million spent. FISHER CENTER ASSISTANT PROFESSORSHIP (CAO):THE FISHER CENTER FOUNDATION INFORMATION PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND ACCOMPLISHMENTSJUNYUE CAO, PHD RECIPIENT OF THE FISHER CENTER FOR ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH FOUNDATION ASSISTANT PROFESSORSHIP, DR. CAO IS USING ADVANCED GENOMICS AND AI-DRIVEN ANALYSIS TO STUDY HOW GENE EXPRESSION AND EPIGENETICS INFLUENCE ALZHEIMER'S PROGRESSION.TRACKING BRAIN CELL CHANGES OVER TIMEJUNYUE CAO, PHD, WAS APPOINTED AS THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY'S FIRST FISHER CENTER FOUNDATION ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, A ROLE SUPPORTED BY THE ZACHARY AND ELIZABETH M. FISHER FUND FOR TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH IN ALZHEIMER'S AND NEUROGENERATIVE DISEASE. HIS LAB DEVELOPED TRACKERSCI, A POWERFUL NEW TECHNIQUE THAT ALLOWS SCIENTISTS TO OBSERVE HOW BRAIN CELLS CHANGE ACROSS DIFFERENT STAGES OF LIFE. BY LABELING AND TRACKING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL BRAIN CELLS, THE METHOD REVEALS HOW CERTAIN TYPES OF CELLS DECREASE WITH AGE WHILE OTHERS ESPECIALLY INFLAMMATORY CELLS BECOME MORE COMMON. THESE INSIGHTS COULD HELP RESEARCHERS BETTER UNDERSTAND THE EARLY BIOLOGICAL CHANGES THAT LEAD TO ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. A PATENT APPLICATION FOR TRACKERSCI HAS BEEN FILED.
  5. $3.3 million spent. NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE PROFESSORSHIP (SADOWSKI):DR. SADOWSKI THE ZACHARY AND ELIZABETH M. FISHER ENDOWED PROFESSOR IN NEURODEGENERATION AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AT NYU, DR. SADOWSKI STUDIES GLIAL CELL DYSFUNCTION AND THE PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF PEROXIREDOXIN 6, A POTENTIAL ALZHEIMER'S THERAPY.AT NYU GROSSMAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE'S 2024 DEAN'S HONORS DAY, DR. SADOWSKI WAS FORMALLY RECOGNIZED WITH THE APPOINTMENT AS THE INAUGURAL ZACHARY AND ELIZABETH M. FISHER PROFESSOR OF NEURODEGENERATION AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. THIS PRESTIGIOUS RECOGNITION CELEBRATES HIS DISTINGUISHED ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH AND HIS PROFOUND CONTRIBUTIONS TO NYU LANGONE'S ACADEMIC AND CLINICAL MISSION.THE NEW PROFESSORSHIP WILL SUPPORT DR. SADOWSKI'S ONGOING TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH INTO THE CAUSES OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. IT ALSO COINCIDES WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE FISHER CENTER ALZHEIMER'S CLINICAL TRIALS PROGRAM AT NYU LANGONE HEALTH, WHICH EXPANDS ACCESS TO EMERGING THERAPIES AND ENABLES INVESTIGATOR-LED TRIALS FOCUSED ON PREVENTION. AS BOTH A CLINICIAN AND RESEARCHER, DR. SADOWSKI CONTINUES TO ADVANCE THE FIELD AND BRING NEW HOPE TO PATIENTS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY ALZHEIMER'S.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1996.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.