Finding dementia signals in blood exosomes across diverse communities
Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis- Cellular Exosomes in Neurodegeneration and Dementia (MESA-CEND)
This project looks for Alzheimer-related proteins and other markers inside tiny blood particles called exosomes in people from multiple ethnic groups to help detect and understand dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11135552 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will isolate tiny vesicles called exosomes from blood and separate them by the brain cell type they come from (neurons, astrocytes, endothelial cells, pericytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes). They will measure Alzheimer-related proteins (for example Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42, and neurofilament light) and markers of vascular injury or hypoxia inside those exosomes. Those blood results will be compared with brain imaging and cognitive testing to see which exosome signals match brain changes and symptoms. The study emphasizes samples from a large, multi-ethnic cohort and will examine differences by race/ethnicity, sex, and genetic risk such as APOE ε4.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds—particularly middle-aged and older people, those with vascular risk factors, or those carrying APOE ε4—would be the most relevant candidates for this research.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment or those without available blood samples or follow-up data may not receive direct clinical benefit from this biomarker-focused study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to less invasive blood tests that detect dementia-related brain changes earlier and reveal why risk differs across groups.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller studies have shown promising exosome biomarkers for Alzheimer-related proteins, but applying a multi-cell-type, multi-ethnic approach at scale is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Winston-Salem, United States
- Wake Forest University Health Sciences — Winston-Salem, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Deep, Gagan — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Deep, Gagan
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.