How Notch3 controls brain blood‑vessel support cells in Alzheimer's
Identifying the role of notch3 in brain pericyte function in health and Alzheimer's disease
Looking at whether the Notch3 protein helps brain pericytes keep the blood–brain barrier healthy in people with and without Alzheimer’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10829255 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will grow human pericyte‑like cells from human pluripotent stem cells and tweak Notch3 to see how those cells form and behave. They will compare cells and models that mimic healthy brains with ones that show Alzheimer‑type changes to find what goes wrong. The team will measure how pericyte changes affect blood–brain barrier properties and interactions with blood vessel cells. Results aim to reveal molecular steps that could be targeted to protect the brain’s blood vessels in Alzheimer’s.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or older adults willing to donate tissue or cells as patient or control samples would be the most relevant candidates for contributing to this work.
Not a fit: People seeking an immediate treatment benefit or those with non‑Alzheimer’s neurological conditions are unlikely to gain direct clinical benefit from this basic‑science project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify molecular targets to preserve blood–brain barrier function and slow vascular contributions to Alzheimer’s progression.
How similar studies have performed: Past studies link pericyte loss and Notch signaling to blood–brain barrier problems in Alzheimer’s, but applying human stem‑cell models to define Notch3’s specific role is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shusta, Eric V — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Shusta, Eric V
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.