CNS Exosomes and Adaptive Immunity in Alzheimer’s Disease
Official title: CNS Exosomes-Mediated Adaptive Immunity in Alzheimer's Disease (AD)
Funded at Tufts University Boston · NIH-11380705 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project studies how tiny brain vesicles called exosomes may activate the body's immune system in Alzheimer’s disease, with the goal of understanding mechanisms that could lead to new treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts University Boston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $830,658 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG078728-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11380705 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or at high risk, whose biology could inform future immune-targeted treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Early-stage or non-Alzheimer’s conditions may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
Alzheimer’s disease involves a complex mix of brain inflammation and immune responses. This grant uses specialized mouse models to trace how brain-derived exosomes might carry antigens that trigger T and B cell responses. Researchers will examine whether these immune signals travel from the brain to the rest of the body and how they influence disease progression. Findings could identify new targets to modulate the immune system in Alzheimer’s patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of brain-immune interactions in Alzheimer’s could lead to new immune-based therapies or biomarkers.
How similar studies have gone: There is growing evidence that immune mechanisms participate in Alzheimer’s, but the role of CNS-derived exosomes in adaptive immunity is still being defined.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts University Boston
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Yongjie — Tufts University Boston
- Study coordinator: Yang, Yongjie
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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.