Finding and studying rod-shaped microglia in Alzheimer’s and brain injury
Molecular Tool Development to Identify, Isolate, and Interrogate the Rod Microglia Phenotype in Neurological Disease and Injury
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · NIH-11468847
Researchers are creating new lab tools to find a special rod-shaped immune cell in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, related dementias, or acquired brain injuries.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (ANN ARBOR, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11468847 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project will develop molecular markers and lab reagents that let scientists detect, isolate, and study 'rod' microglia seen in damaged and diseased human brains. The team will use existing single-cell RNA sequencing from hundreds of human samples and human brain tissue to identify genes unique to these cells, then make probes or antibodies that bind to those markers. They will validate the new tools on human post-mortem tissue and experimental models to confirm the cells’ identity and behavior. These tools are meant to help researchers understand how rod microglia contribute to inflammation and tissue damage in dementia and brain injury.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias, or a history of acquired brain injury — especially those willing to participate in sample-based research or brain donation programs — would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People without neurological disease or whose conditions do not involve brain inflammation are unlikely to benefit directly from these tools.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could allow better detection and study of a specific inflammatory cell type, potentially revealing new targets to treat or slow brain damage in Alzheimer’s and after injury.
How similar studies have performed: This is largely novel because current identification relies on general stains and non-specific antibodies, and specific molecular tools for rod microglia do not yet exist.
Where this research is happening
ANN ARBOR, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR — ANN ARBOR, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: LIFSHITZ, JONATHAN — UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- Study coordinator: LIFSHITZ, JONATHAN
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 below.
Conditions: Acquired brain injury, Alzheimer disease dementia