Cell-by-cell maps of gene regulation in Alzheimer's brains
Official title: Single-cell Epigenome Analysis of the Alzheimer's Disease Brain
Funded at Epigenome Technologies, INC. · NIH-11194472 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Creating detailed, cell-level maps of how genes and their on/off switches work in Alzheimer's and healthy brains to help researchers develop better tests and treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Epigenome Technologies, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $964,766 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AG079691-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11194472 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be people with Alzheimer's (or their families) who are willing to enroll in brain donation programs or otherwise provide post-mortem tissue for research.
✕Less likely to help
People seeking immediate clinical treatments or those unwilling to participate in brain donation are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
This project uses a single-cell multi-omic method (Droplet Paired-Tag) on human post-mortem brain tissue to read both gene activity and epigenetic marks in individual brain cells. The team will optimize protocols for hippocampus, white matter, and cerebellum from Alzheimer's and control donors and produce standardized kits and reference materials. They will build a manufacturing quality management system to make the method reliable and reproducible for broader use. The goal is to enable researchers to link noncoding genetic risk variants to specific cell types and gene regulation changes in Alzheimer's.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal cell-specific disease mechanisms and point to new targets for diagnostics and therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Single-cell and multi-omic studies have already started to identify cell-specific changes in Alzheimer's, and this project builds on promising Droplet Paired-Tag results by focusing on optimization and scalable kit production.
Where this research is happening
-
Epigenome Technologies, INC.
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hartl, Christopher — Epigenome Technologies, INC.
- Study coordinator: Hartl, Christopher
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how brain activity changes may drive Alzheimer’s disease progression in a mouse model
Researchers are testing how changes in brain signals and protein cleanup processes affect the development of Alzheimer’s disease in mice.
-
Thiamine-boosting therapy for Alzheimer’s: understanding how benfotiamine may reduce harmful AGE in DP patients
A medication-based approach using high-dose vitamin B1 (benfotiamine) is studied to help people with Alzheimer's by reducing harmful sugar-related molecules.
-
Non-invasive tears biomarker for early Alzheimer's in LMICs
A low-cost, tear-based biomarker approach aims to detect early Alzheimer’s disease in older adults in Peru and similar settings.
-
Turning APOE4 into protective APOE2 or APOE3Christchurch to help with Alzheimer’s
A patient-facing explanation of a treatment idea that aims to change a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease in the brain.
-
Telomerase in Alzheimer’s Disease: how aging biology could influence memory and brain health
Researchers are exploring a new brain-aging mechanism linked to telomerase, with potential to slow or modify Alzheimer’s disease in people and improve cognitive function.
-
Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease: Sensory, Motor, and Cognitive Clues
Researchers are testing simple sensory and movement tasks to find early signs of Alzheimer’s disease so they can diagnose and treat people sooner.
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.