Computer-powered search for genes tied to Alzheimer's risk
Cognitive Computing of Alzheimer's Disease Genes and Risk
This project uses advanced computer analysis of genetic data to help identify people who may be at higher risk for Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11168829 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have memory concerns or a family history of Alzheimer's, researchers will use powerful computer methods to sift through many people's genetic data to find combinations of gene changes that may raise risk. They will add lots of new information, run computational models to predict which changes matter, and perform lab tests to check those predictions. The goal is to separate harmful mutations from harmless ones so genetic profiles can be interpreted more clearly. Results may help improve screening, prevention planning, and how people are matched to future clinical trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, a family history of dementia, or those willing to share genetic data or samples would be the best candidates to contribute to or benefit from this work.
Not a fit: People seeking an immediate treatment or those without available genetic data are unlikely to get a direct clinical benefit from this project right away.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could produce clearer genetic risk profiles to improve screening, prevention choices, and trial matching for people at risk of Alzheimer's.
How similar studies have performed: Many genetic studies and polygenic risk scores have identified risk signals for Alzheimer's, but predicting individual risk and proving which gene changes cause disease remains incomplete, so this work builds on prior efforts with more computational and experimental validation.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lichtarge, Olivier — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Lichtarge, Olivier
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.