How blood and brain fats relate to aging and Alzheimer's
Metabolic age to define influences of the lipidome on brain aging in Alzheimer's disease
Researchers will map lipid (fat) patterns in blood and brain to see how they relate to aging and Alzheimer's disease in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308285 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses existing large datasets and new lipidomic measurements from people with Alzheimer's, mild cognitive impairment, and healthy older adults to define a 'metabolic age' based on fats in blood and brain. The team will combine lipid profiles with genetic data and clinical information to chart how lipid changes track with brain aging and Alzheimer's biomarkers. Advanced informatics and machine learning tools will integrate samples from multiple cohorts and brain tissue to find consistent patterns. Findings are shared across a research consortium to speed up discovery and reproducibility.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults with Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, or cognitively healthy older volunteers who can provide blood samples and allow use of their clinical data or brain donations in cohort studies.
Not a fit: People without neurodegenerative conditions, much younger adults, or those unable or unwilling to provide samples or join cohort studies are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify lipid-based biomarkers or targets that help detect Alzheimer's earlier or open new treatment avenues.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lipidomics and metabolomics studies have found lipid changes linked to Alzheimer's, but applying a cross-cohort 'metabolic age' approach is a newer, more integrative strategy.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima F — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima F
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.