How air pollution chemicals may contribute to Alzheimer's and related dementias
IMPACT-ADRD: Investigating the Multi-omics Perturbations Associated with Complex Environmental Toxicants and their Contribution to Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
This project looks at whether specific components of air pollution change biological markers in people with or at risk for Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11377187 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will combine high-resolution maps of air pollution with detailed molecular profiling of blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and brain tissue to find links between pollution chemicals and dementia. They will measure many types of molecules (proteins, metabolites, and DNA changes) to see which biological pathways are altered after exposure to fine particulate matter and its components. The work uses samples and data from people in clinical cohorts and brain banks and emphasizes diverse populations. The goal is to pinpoint which pollution components are most harmful and how they affect the brain.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with Alzheimer's disease, people at increased risk for dementia, or individuals willing to provide blood, CSF, or brain-donation samples and share medical records.
Not a fit: People without dementia risk and those unwilling or unable to provide biological samples or participate in cohort follow-up are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could reveal pollution components to target with public-health rules and identify biological markers or pathways that help prevent, detect, or treat Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have performed: Previous single-omics studies have linked air pollution to biological changes, but applying deep multi-omics to tie specific PM2.5 components to Alzheimer's is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huels, Anke — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Huels, Anke
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.