Endothelial genes linked to Alzheimer's progression in male and female brains
Official title: Identification of endothelial gene targets over Alzheimer s disease progression
Funded at Albany Medical College · NIH-11453764 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to find blood vessel gene targets that change as Alzheimer's progresses, in both men and women, using mouse models to mirror human disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albany Medical College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albany, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $451,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AG099223-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11453764 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals interested in participating in future human studies or who have a risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
✕Less likely to help
People without any link to Alzheimer’s disease or vascular contributions to cognitive impairment may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project will study brain blood vessel cells in Alzheimer’s disease over early, middle, and late stages in both sexes. Using two mouse models, researchers will profile the endothelial translatome to see which genes change with disease and vascular pathology. They will connect these gene changes to pathology and cognitive function, and look for sex-specific targets that could be modifiable. The study combines gene data with real-time functional readouts to identify potential new treatment angles. The work is designed to pinpoint targets that are relevant to human disease and could guide future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could reveal sex-specific vascular targets for delaying or altering Alzheimer’s progression and inform future therapeutic strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous human studies show vascular gene changes in AD, and this project builds on that by adding sex differences and time-course data in animal models; translational potential is promising but still early.
Where this research is happening
-
Albany Medical College
Albany, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zuloaga, Kristen Leanne — Albany Medical College
- Study coordinator: Zuloaga, Kristen Leanne
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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.