Frontotemporal degeneration clinical program
Clinical Core
This program seeks blood tests, brain scans, and clinical signs that can help tell which type of frontotemporal degeneration a person has, especially for people who develop dementia before age 65.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11265586 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will collect your medical history, cognitive test results, brain imaging, blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples, and genetic information. They will link these clinical and biomarker data to brain autopsy findings when available to identify features of TDP‑43 versus tau pathology. The Clinical Core standardizes testing and follows participants over time to map how symptoms and markers change. The goal is to create well-characterized natural histories and biomarker signatures that can support future treatment trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with symptoms of frontotemporal degeneration or early-onset dementia (often under age 65) who are willing to undergo imaging, blood and/or spinal fluid sampling, genetic testing, and longitudinal follow-up.
Not a fit: People without clinical signs of frontotemporal degeneration (for example typical late-onset Alzheimer's disease) or those unwilling to undergo imaging, sample collection, or follow-up are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could allow earlier and more accurate diagnosis of the specific pathological type of frontotemporal degeneration, improving prognosis and selection for targeted treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Biomarker advances have helped Alzheimer's disease, but reliable biomarkers for TDP‑43-related FTLD remain limited, so this work addresses a largely unmet need rather than a well-established approach.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Irwin, David John — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Irwin, David John
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.