How changes in the tau protein lead to Alzheimer's
Functional Characterization of Tau Mutation and Post-translational Modifications
Researchers are looking at how specific mutations and chemical tags on the tau protein might make brain cells more likely to form harmful clumps in people with Alzheimer's.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11358402 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work studies the tau protein that can form clumps inside brain cells in Alzheimer's and related tau diseases. The team will change tau’s sequence and its chemical modifications in lab-grown cells and animal models to see which changes make tau more prone to clumping. They will compare those laboratory findings with patterns seen in human brain tissue to connect the lab results to real disease. The aim is to find specific tau changes that could become targets for future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Alzheimer's disease or other tau-related neurodegenerative conditions, and individuals known to carry tau gene mutations, would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose dementia is driven entirely by non-tau causes (for example pure vascular dementia) may not directly benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could identify tau mechanisms to target with new drugs that slow or prevent neurodegeneration.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory studies have shown that tau mutations and modifications can change how tau aggregates, but translating those findings into effective patient treatments remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Samelson, Avi Jacob — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Samelson, Avi Jacob
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.