Cell models for brain aging and dementia resilience
Official title: Cell Biology and Functional Analysis
Funded at Translational Genomics Research Inst · NIH-11195718 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are making nerve cells from people’s blood and skin—including healthy adults, those with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s, and unusually long-lived individuals—to learn how some brains resist dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Translational Genomics Research Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Phoenix, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2004 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,365,541 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AG023122-17 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195718 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people willing to donate skin biopsies or blood samples, including healthy young or older adults, people with mild cognitive impairment, clinically confirmed Alzheimer’s or related dementias, and individuals with exceptional longevity.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot provide biological samples or whose health concerns are unrelated to aging or dementia are unlikely to gain direct benefit from participating.
What this research studies
This project uses skin cells and blood cells donated by people to create two kinds of human nerve cells in the lab: reprogrammed iPSC-derived neurons and directly converted induced neurons that keep aging signals. Scientists will compare cells from young and old donors, people with mild cognitive impairment or clinically confirmed Alzheimer’s and related dementias, and individuals with exceptional longevity or resilience. By studying these matched cell models, they hope to find cellular pathways that protect against or reverse aging-related decline. The lab models will also be used to test potential interventions that might preserve function or restore healthy cellular behavior.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal biological targets that lead to new tests or treatments to slow, prevent, or reverse aspects of Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
How similar studies have gone: Work with iPSC-derived neurons and directly converted neurons has produced useful insights into neurodegeneration, but turning those discoveries into proven Alzheimer’s treatments has been limited to date.
Where this research is happening
-
Translational Genomics Research Inst
Phoenix, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gage, Fred H — Translational Genomics Research Inst
- Study coordinator: Gage, Fred H
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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.