Discovering new treatments for Alzheimer's disease by targeting a specific enzyme
Official title: Glycogen synthase kinase 3 ligand discovery for Alzheimer’s disease
Funded at Emory University · NIH-10637434 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new imaging tool to see how a specific enzyme related to Alzheimer's disease works in the brain, which could help researchers find better treatments for people living with this condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $2,323,421 |
| NIH project number | 1RF1AG081401-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10637434 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or those at risk of developing it.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other forms of dementia unrelated to Alzheimer's may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. By developing a new imaging tool using positron emission tomography (PET), the researchers aim to better understand how GSK3 affects various biological processes related to Alzheimer's. This approach will allow for the assessment of new drugs targeting GSK3 in living patients, providing insights that traditional methods cannot offer. The goal is to create a novel PET ligand that can visualize GSK3 activity in the brain, which could lead to improved therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease by enabling better drug development and understanding of the disease mechanisms.
How similar studies have gone: While there have been attempts to target GSK3 in Alzheimer's research, this specific approach using PET imaging for drug discovery is novel and has not been successfully demonstrated in humans before.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liang, Steven H — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Liang, Steven H
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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.