How copper and zinc interactions with the prion protein affect brain cells in Alzheimer's
Official title: Discovering How Cu(II)/Zn(II) Uptake by the Prion Protein Controls Structure, Function and Neurotoxicity
Funded at University of California Santa Cruz · NIH-11320853 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how copper and zinc binding to the brain's prion protein may change its shape and lead to cell damage in Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Santa Cruz NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Cruz, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2019 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $413,501 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM131781-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11320853 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, or individuals willing to donate blood or brain tissue samples for research, would be most relevant for follow-up or sample-based efforts.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatments or those without Alzheimer's or prion-related conditions are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this lab-focused research.
What this research studies
As someone affected by Alzheimer's, it's useful to know researchers are studying the prion protein (PrPC), a common brain protein that binds copper and zinc. The team maps where these metals attach, measures how tightly they bind, and watches how that changes the protein's shape and interactions. In lab-grown cells and biochemical experiments they track whether metal-driven changes in PrPC promote uptake of toxic amyloid-beta and downstream neuron stress. The work uses labeled proteins and molecular assays to connect these basic mechanisms to processes linked with neurodegeneration.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal targets for therapies that block harmful metal-driven actions of the prion protein and slow neuron damage in Alzheimer's.
How similar studies have gone: Previous laboratory studies have shown PrPC binds metals and can interact with amyloid-beta, but translating these findings into human treatments is still at an early stage.
Where this research is happening
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University of California Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Millhauser, Glenn L — University of California Santa Cruz
- Study coordinator: Millhauser, Glenn L
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.