How Alzheimer's risk differs between men and women using genetics and molecular data
Elucidating sex-specific risk for Alzheimer's disease through state-of-the-art genetics and multi-omics
This project looks at genetic and molecular differences in men and women to find why Alzheimer's affects them differently.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11175461 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will combine large-scale genetic data and multiple types of molecular information from many people to search for sex-specific causes of Alzheimer's. They will run separate genetic analyses for men and women with carefully harmonized clinical information across cohorts. The team will integrate multi-omics data (for example, gene activity and other molecular measures) to connect risk genes to biological pathways. Findings aim to point to sex-relevant risk markers and potential targets for future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, or older adults without dementia who have provided genetic or other molecular data to research cohorts are most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients seeking an immediate treatment or those who have not provided genetic or molecular data to a research study are unlikely to get direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better ways to predict Alzheimer's risk by sex and suggest new drug targets tailored to men or women.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have hinted at sex differences but found few clear sex-specific genes, so this larger, multi-omics approach builds on limited prior success.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Belloy, Michael — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Belloy, Michael
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.