Finding existing drugs that might help people with Alzheimer's and related dementias
Harnessing Diverse Bioinformatic Approaches To Repurpose Drugs For Alzheimers Disease And Related Dementias
Using computer analysis of human brain data, lab tests in human brain cells, and health-record searches to find approved drugs that could help people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11118914 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or a loved one have Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, this project looks for already-approved drugs that could affect the biological pathways involved in the disease. The team mines large human brain genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics datasets with machine learning to spot pathway changes across disease stages. Top drug candidates are tested in human neurons and glial cells to see how they change genes, proteins, and cell images, and electronic health records are analyzed to emulate clinical trials and search for real-world signals. The aim is to speed up movement of promising approved drugs into clinical testing for people with AD and related dementias.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, across early to later stages, would be the most relevant group for future trials or for inclusion in records-based analyses.
Not a fit: People without Alzheimer's-related pathology or with cognitive problems caused by unrelated conditions are unlikely to benefit from drugs identified by this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify approved medications that slow or alter Alzheimer's-related biology, enabling faster testing and possible earlier access to treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Previous drug-repurposing efforts have suggested candidates and occasional promising signals, but few repurposed drugs have yet proven effective in definitive clinical trials, so this approach builds on promising but still largely unproven work.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Albers, Mark W — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Albers, Mark W
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.