Research shows that up to 45% of dementia cases may be preventable through lifestyle changes. As Alzheimer’s rates continue to rise, the time to care for our brains is now.
With this in mind, we created HFCUniverse, a brain health education platform designed specifically for high school and college students. It equips young people with the tools and knowledge they need to build lifelong habits that support cognitive health and reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer’s later in life. Through engaging content and a prevention-first mindset, HFCUniverse empowers the next generation to take action, starting today.
In collaboration with neurologists, curriculum developers, and celebrity advocates, HFCUniverse teaches the five brain health habits (sleep, nutrition, emotional well-being, physical exercise, and cognitive fitness) shown to slow the progression of, and potentially prevent, Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
HFCUniverse aims to become the leading platform for Alzheimer’s risk reduction, brain health education, and support for young people. By shifting knowledge and attitudes early, we can drive meaningful behavior change that supports cognitive health throughout life.
Our vision is to transform how young people learn about, talk about, and support those affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia, with the long-term goal of reducing risk across generations.
HFC partnered with world-renowned neurologist Dr. Richard Isaacson and Weill Cornell Medicine to explore a key question: Do students retain health information better when it comes from scientists or celebrities? The result: Celebrity messengers made a stronger impact.
That insight sparked the creation of HFCUniverse, our free online brain health education platform designed with Gen Z in mind. Featuring “celebrity professors” like Seth Rogen, Kristen Bell, Quinta Brunson, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and Chloe Kim, the platform blends pop culture with science-backed strategies to deliver engaging, relatable, and accessible content.
To bring HFCUniverse to life, Hilarity for Charity (HFC) partnered with LearnWorlds to build a vibrant, mobile-first learning hub centered on five core dementia prevention habits: Sleep, Physical Exercise, Nutrition, Cognitive Fitness, and Emotional Well-Being. Each habit became a short, interactive module with videos, animations, and quizzes that reflect how Gen Z learns best.
With bold visuals, a humor-driven tone, and mobile-first design, HFCUniverse makes brain health content feel fresh, engaging, and accessible. To preserve scientific integrity while remaining culturally relevant to students, HFCUniverse was developed with input from both a medical advisory board and a youth content advisory group.
HFCUniverse is part of a larger effort called HFC’s Youth Movement Against Alzheimer’s. This growing national ecosystem empowers young people to take action through brain health education and leadership. The movement includes HFCUniverse’s eCoursework, peer-to-peer Brain Health Leader training, and student-led chapters at high schools and colleges across the country. Learn more at wearehfc.org/youth.
To expand reach and engagement, HFC launched a national outreach strategy. This included direct promotion to teachers and HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) advisors, as well as out-of-home billboard campaigns in Los Angeles and New York City, including Times Square. These efforts brought HFCUniverse into schools, homes, and communities, making brain health education more accessible, relevant, and youth-driven than ever before.
Since launching, HFCUniverse has reached more than 11,000 users across the U.S., with average engagement times of over 10 minutes per session, well above typical benchmarks for digital health tools. More than 7,000 users have completed at least one full module, and post-lesson quizzes showed an average knowledge score of 87%. Educators and students alike have praised the platform for making brain science feel fun, empowering, and personally relevant
“As a young person, I think it’s so unique and valuable to have a community where people like me can learn, cope, and make change together. HFCUniverse is a great place to kick off your brain health journey.” - Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Actor and HFCU Professor of Cognitive Fitness
After completing HFCUniverse, participants reported:
These outcomes reflect exactly what we set out to achieve: increased awareness, behavior change, and a youth-led movement around brain health. HFCUniverse is a uniquely accessible public health tool that reimagines Alzheimer’s prevention through the lens of empowerment, pop culture, and digital-first design, creating a model for future public health education.
