Biospecimen core for the Long Life Family project on healthy aging and dementia resilience
Core C Biospecimen
This project collects and stores blood and other samples from long-lived families and their descendants to help find genes and markers that protect against Alzheimer's and support healthy aging.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11096294 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This effort follows nearly 5,000 people in multi-generation families noted for exceptional longevity and measures health across visits while collecting blood and other biospecimens. The biospecimen core handles processing, storage, and sharing of those samples so researchers can do genetic and biomarker tests, including whole-genome sequencing. If you participate, you would provide samples and health information and may be followed over time. The goal is to link family patterns and rare protective variants to resilience against cognitive decline and related dementias.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are members of families with exceptional longevity, their adult offspring or grandchildren, or people willing to provide samples and health information for the Long Life Family project.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment or rapid clinical benefit from participation are unlikely to experience direct medical improvement from this biospecimen-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal genetic or biological markers that point toward new ways to prevent or delay Alzheimer's and other age-related conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work from the Long Life Family Study and other family-based genetics projects has found rare protective variants and useful biomarkers, though translating these findings into therapies is still early.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thyagarajan, Bharat — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Thyagarajan, Bharat
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 below.