How brain cells clean themselves to stay healthy
Neuronal Autophagy: a Cell-Autonomous Protection Mechanism
This work looks at how brain cells use a natural 'self-cleaning' process to protect against damage in people with Alzheimer's and related brain diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11266169 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective: researchers are studying a cell cleanup system called autophagy using mouse and cell models alongside human tissue and genetic data to see why it breaks down in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS. They compare different kinds of neurons and test how disrupting specific genes affects protein buildup and neuron survival. The team also studies how immune brain cells (microglia) help clear toxic proteins released by neurons. All of this is aimed at finding points where therapies could boost cleanup and protect brain cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with Alzheimer's disease dementia or related neurodegenerative conditions, and adults willing to provide tissue or genetic samples for research, would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People without neurodegenerative disease or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to see direct benefit, since this is mainly basic and preclinical research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to help brain cells remove toxic proteins and slow or prevent neuron loss in Alzheimer's and related diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory and animal studies have shown that enhancing autophagy can reduce harmful protein buildup, but translating those findings into proven human treatments has not yet been achieved.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yue, Zhenyu — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Yue, Zhenyu
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.