Garrison Institute on Aging

The Garrison Institute on Aging

Mission & Vision

Our mission is to promote healthy aging and brain health in the aging population through translational research, innovative educational initiatives, and community engagement programs. The Garrison Institute on Aging (GIA) advances knowledge about aging and diseases such Alzheimer’s, other forms of dementias, mental health conditions, and brain disorders. Through our educational programs, we inform and empower the community. Our community outreach programs and the newly established comprehensive memory clinic are designed to support patients and their care partners, enhancing quality of life, increasing access to healthcare, and improving psychological and physical health.

Our vision is to serve as the central hub within Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) for innovative and collaborative efforts in translational research, interdisciplinary education, and community engagement related to healthy aging, brain health, and aging-related conditions such as dementia. The GIA leads in advancing knowledge about disease mechanisms and risk factors to drive improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. At the GIA, we are committed to serving the communities of West Texas through our research, education, clinical work, service, and care programs.

Advancing Care Through Community, Education, and Research

The Garrison Institute on Aging (GIA) is dedicated to promoting healthy aging through community outreach, education, research, and clinical services.

In partnership with the TTU GRILL Lab, the GIA Comprehensive Memory Clinic delivers specialized, compassionate care for individuals living with dementia and the caregivers who support them. Services include comprehensive assessments, individualized care planning, medication management, and connection to community-based support resources.

Since its founding in 1999, the GIA has strengthened research in aging, expanded programs focused on Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, and fostered collaboration across TTUHSC to enhance professional training, caregiver support, and healthy aging initiatives.

Explore the links below to learn more about our departments, programs, and community impact.

Learn More

Volker Neugebauer, M.D., Ph.D.

Grover E. Murray Professor and University Distinguished Professor Chair,
Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience,
School of Medicine Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer,
Garrison Institute on Aging Director,
Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics
Giles McCrary Endowed Chair in Addiction Medicine,
Mildred and Shirley L. Garrison Chair in Aging,
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Meet Garrison Institute on Aging's Executive Dr. Volker Neugebauer. Dr. Neugebauer has been with the institute since 2019, after serving in leadership roles as Department Chair and Center Director at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center for 6 years. Through his leadership, the GIA has grown and broadened the scope of our existing community outreach efforts, to provide and improve physical and mental health care to dementia patients and their unpaid caregiver.

In 1999, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) leadership identified aging as a strategic priority for the 21st century. The Texas Tech University System (TTUS) Board of Regents established the Institute for Healthy Aging, which was renamed in February 2005 in honor of Mildred and Shirley L. Garrison. Today, we are proud to be known as the TTUHSC Garrison Institute on Aging (GIA).

Over the past two decades, the GIA has grown into TTUHSC's hub for collaboration in aging and brain health. Our programs span the full continuum of discovery from basic science to translational research and clinical services while maintaining a strong commitment to community engagement and outreach.

We advance and disseminate knowledge about healthy aging and aging-related health conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, as well as mental health in later life. Our work integrates research on brain health, risk factors, biomarkers, and disease mechanisms with education and community-based initiatives that directly serve individuals and families.

Since 2019, under the leadership of Executive Director Dr. Volker Neugebauer, the GIA has strengthened its basic research infrastructure by organizing molecular, electrophysiology, and behavioral research cores. Brain bank operations were enhanced through rigorous quality control and innovative anatomical tools, and the Institute expanded its focus on translational research and clinical studies through collaborations across TTUHSC and Texas Tech University.

Since 2016, the GIA has expanded Project FRONTIER, a longitudinal study of aging and cognitive decline in a multi-ethnic sample of adults living in rural West Texas. This landmark initiative provides critical epidemiological data and biological samples that supports the GIA biobank and broader research efforts.

Beginning in 2021, the GIA launched expanded Mental Health Programs to address the psychological needs of older adults and caregivers in our region. In 2024, the Institute further strengthened clinical services with the establishment of a comprehensive Memory Clinic, improving diagnostic accuracy and enhancing care for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, as well as the well-being of their families and caregivers.

The TTUHSC GIA Newsletter is released every three months. Stay up to date with news and events by subscribing at the link below.

Previous Newsletters

2025

You Can Make a Difference

Every family has been touched in some way by aging, memory loss, or serious illness. At the Garrison Institute on Aging, we work every day to bring hope, answers, and compassionate care to individuals and families facing Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other aging-related challenges.

While grant funding supports much of our scientific work, it is the generosity of donors that allows us to go further expanding services, supporting caregivers, advancing groundbreaking research, and reaching rural and underserved communities.

Your gift is more than a donation. It is an investment in dignity, understanding, and better care for those navigating some of life’s most difficult moments.

Together, we can improve lives today and create a healthier future for generations to come.

Support the GIA Brain Bank
Behind every scientific breakthrough is a family who chose to make a difference. The GIA Brain Bank plays a vital role in advancing research on Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders bringing us closer to earlier diagnosis, better treatments, and ultimately prevention.

This program exists because of generous donors who believe in the power of research to transform lives.

To make a gift in honor or memory of a loved one, please visit the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center online giving portal using the link below.

Your generosity helps turn compassion into discovery and discovery into hope.

The GIA Memory Clinic

The GIA Memory Clinic provides compassionate, comprehensive care for individuals experiencing memory loss and for the families who support them. From thorough evaluations to personalized care planning and ongoing support, our team is committed to helping patients navigate cognitive changes with dignity and clarity.

The Clinic’s services are strengthened by the generosity of individuals and families in our community. Philanthropic support helps expand access to care, enhance caregiver resources, and advance innovations in diagnosis and treatment.

To make a gift or to honor or remember someone special, please click the link below to visit the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center online giving portal.

Your support helps ensure that no family faces memory loss alone.

You can also support the Garrison Institute on Aging by mailing your donation to:

TTUHSC Garrison Institute on Aging
3601 4th Street, MS 9424
Lubbock, Texas 79430-9424

To make the greatest impact, you can direct your gift to a specific program simply indicate your choice in your check memo or include a note with your donation.

Every gift helps advance research, support families, and provide care for those affected by memory loss and aging-related challenges. Thank you for helping us make a difference in our community!