APOE protective variants and Alzheimer’s risk – molecular insights
Official title: Project 1 (Deciphering the structural and biochemical properties of APOE protective variants)
Funded at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville · NIH-11418802 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant looks at how certain APOE gene variants that seem to protect against Alzheimer’s may shape the protein and its interactions, giving clues for future therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Jacksonville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Jacksonville, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $567,659 |
| NIH project number | 2U19AG069701-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11418802 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This work is primarily laboratory-based; it may inform future patient-focused research but does not require patient participation for this project.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation or immediate benefit from this specific grant.
What this research studies
Researchers at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville will study how APOE variants change the protein’s shape and behavior using techniques like cryo-EM, smFRET, and computer simulations. They will examine how these variants interact with amyloid-beta and aim to build models that predict the effects of new variants. The findings could reveal the molecular rules behind protection against Alzheimer’s disease and guide cellular-level studies and future drug targets. The work is foundational science with potential implications for people at risk of Alzheimer’s who carry APOE variants.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A deeper molecular understanding of protective APOE variants could inform future strategies to prevent or slow Alzheimer’s disease.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has shown APOE variants influence Alzheimer’s risk, with meaningful progress in understanding structure–function relationships; this project builds on that foundation.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
Jacksonville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Soranno, Andrea — Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
- Study coordinator: Soranno, Andrea
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.