Our understanding of Alzheimer's has grown exponentially during the past two decades. But sophisticated knowledge has yet to yield effective diagnostic tools or treatments, much less a cure for the disease. Alzheimer's, like cancer, is a “complex pathologic process” that involves genetic, biological, and environmental factors, according to Ronald Petersen, MD, director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. Scientists are now studying and targeting elements of that complex pathology with the hope of developing a combination of strategies to combat the disease.