West LA Times

UCLA Health has secured a $2 million commitment to advance research in dementia and osteoporosis. The Surjaudaja family, founders of Biotest and Bank OCBC Indonesia, have pledged $1 million to establish the UCLA Karmaka Surjaudaja Dementia Research Fund at the David Geffen School of Medicine's neurology department. This fund aims to explore genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.

An additional $1 million from the family will help create the UCLA Lelarati Lukman Osteoporosis Research Fund in the orthopaedic surgery department. Biotest was founded by Lelarati Lukman in 1980, inspired by her late husband Karmaka Surjaudaja's healthcare challenges.

“This gift will allow the department of neurology to expand studies of Alzheimer’s disease to previously underserved populations,” said Dr. S. Thomas Carmichael, chair of the neurology department. He noted that polygenic risk scores developed with Caucasian populations could now be extended to other groups due to this donation.

The osteoporosis fund will focus on vitamin D's role in preventing skeletal disorders that increase osteoporosis risk as women age. Dr. Nicholas Bernthal, chair of orthopaedic surgery, emphasized that “With this generous support, we are pioneering a future where osteoporosis is prevented in youth.”

Lelarati Lukman expressed pride in supporting these initiatives: “The research we have chosen to support has the potential to generate major progress in Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis.”

UCLA Health clarified it does not contract with Biotest for products or services.