Controlling a tiny sugar tag on brain proteins linked to Alzheimer's
Official title: Writing and erasing O-GlcNAc on target proteins in the brain
Funded at Harvard University · NIH-11457056 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will add or remove a small sugar mark on specific brain proteins to try to protect brain cells and improve sleep problems tied to Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $577,787 |
| NIH project number | 4R01AG081475-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11457056 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Future human trials would likely include people with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, or persistent sleep disturbances linked to Alzheimer's risk.
✕Less likely to help
People without Alzheimer's-related pathology or those with very advanced disease are less likely to benefit from these early, targeted preclinical approaches.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team is exploring how a chemical tag called O-GlcNAc on brain proteins affects sleep and Alzheimer's-related damage. They use lab models (fruit flies) and modern protein engineering and gene-editing tools to precisely add or remove that sugar on selected neurons and target proteins. The goal is to find focused ways to change O-GlcNAc that could avoid the side effects of drugs that alter the mark everywhere in the brain. Findings may point toward new prevention or treatment ideas for people at risk of or living with Alzheimer's.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more precise therapies that protect brain cells and improve sleep in people at risk for or living with Alzheimer's, with fewer off-target effects than broad-acting drugs.
How similar studies have gone: Broad drugs that raise O-GlcNAc levels systemically have entered early clinical trials, but the protein- and cell-specific targeting proposed here is largely novel and untested in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard University
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Woo, Christina — Harvard University
- Study coordinator: Woo, Christina
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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.