Copper control tools to study brain health and diseases
Official title: Molecular Tools to Enable Control Over Endogenous Metals
Funded at North Carolina State University Raleigh · NIH-11448735 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A doctor-scientist team is making precise chemical tools to control copper in the body, with a focus on brain conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | North Carolina State University Raleigh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Raleigh, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $385,907 |
| NIH project number | 1R01GM162746-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11448735 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with Alzheimer’s-related dementia or other copper-related brain health concerns who may benefit from future therapies or biomarker approaches.
✕Less likely to help
People whose conditions are not linked to copper imbalance or who are not eligible for future copper-targeted interventions may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create small molecules that can tune how copper is moved, stored, and used in cells. By combining these tools with imaging and genetic methods, researchers hope to reveal how copper imbalance contributes to Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders. The work will be done in a lab setting using human-relevant models to understand copper’s role in brain health. If successful, these tools could help identify new ways to protect brain cells from copper-related damage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tools could lead to new approaches for preventing or treating copper-related problems in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
How similar studies have gone: Similar approaches have shown promise in modeling copper biology and copper-related cell death, but the exact toolkit for regulating endogenous copper in humans is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
North Carolina State University Raleigh
Raleigh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Glazer, Edith C — North Carolina State University Raleigh
- Study coordinator: Glazer, Edith C
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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.