Developing a new platform for testing drugs for Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury
Official title: A physiologically relevant pre-clinical drug screening platform for Alzheimer's Disease and Traumatic Brain Injury with integrated stretchable microelectrodes
Funded at Bmseed, LLC · NIH-10997391 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new tiny chip that mimics Alzheimer's disease and related conditions to help test new drugs, with the hope of finding better treatments for the millions of people affected by these diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Bmseed, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tempe, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $779,587 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AG079777-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10997391 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals affected by Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, as well as those with a history of traumatic brain injury.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other forms of dementia unrelated to Alzheimer's or traumatic brain injury may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating an innovative microfluidic chip-based platform that models Alzheimer's disease and related dementias for preclinical drug testing. By integrating this platform with existing models for traumatic brain injury, the research aims to provide a more accurate representation of these conditions, which could lead to better drug development. Patients may benefit from this research as it seeks to address the lack of effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease, which currently affects millions. The approach involves advanced 3D cell culture techniques to simulate the disease environment more realistically.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of effective treatments that stop or reverse the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise with similar microfluidic platforms in modeling neurological diseases, indicating potential for success in this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Bmseed, LLC
Tempe, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Graudejus, Oliver — Bmseed, LLC
- Study coordinator: Graudejus, Oliver
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Diversity of PDE2A Signaling in Traumatic Brain Injury and Alzheimer’s Disease
This project explores how an enzyme called PDE2A affects brain cell energy and inflammation after brain injury, to understand its link to Alzheimer’s-related dementia.
-
Understanding how brain injuries affect blood stem cells and Alzheimer's disease risk
This study is looking at how a traumatic brain injury might increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by exploring changes in important immune cells, and it's aimed at helping people who have had brain injuries find ways to protect their long-term health.
-
How age at traumatic brain injury affects the risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias
This study is looking at how a past head injury might affect the chances of developing Alzheimer's and similar memory problems later in life, especially considering things like age and genetics, to help find better ways to prevent and treat these conditions.
-
How mild traumatic brain injury affects neurodegeneration in older adults
This study is looking at how mild traumatic brain injuries, which many Veterans experience, might affect memory and brain health over time, especially in relation to conditions like Alzheimer's disease, to help understand how these injuries can lead to cognitive decline.
-
Detecting and tracking brain injury-related degeneration and distinguishing it from Alzheimer's disease
This study is working on a new way to spot Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in living people, especially those who have had repeated head injuries, like athletes and older adults, by using brain scans and other tests to tell it apart from Alzheimer's and other types of dementia.
-
Exploring how brain injuries may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
This study is looking at how a head injury might increase the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease by exploring the role of inflammation in the brain, and it's especially important for anyone who has had a traumatic brain injury.
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.