How sex and the APOE gene change brain cells in Alzheimer's
Dissect the interplay between sex and APOE at the single cell level to uncover novel pathways, targets and therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease
This project looks at how biological sex and the APOE ε4 gene affect individual brain cells in people with Alzheimer's to find new targets for diagnosis and treatment.
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-11145000 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will create a large dataset that measures both gene activity and DNA accessibility in individual brain cell nuclei from people with Alzheimer's. They will combine those single-nucleus results with existing bulk tissue and other molecular data and use computational network methods to find patterns tied to sex and APOE status. The team aims to build sex- and APOE-specific molecular maps that point to pathways and potential drug targets. Findings could guide development of tests or therapies tailored by sex and genetic risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with Alzheimer's disease—particularly those known to carry the APOE ε4 variant—or individuals who can donate brain tissue or linked clinical data would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People without Alzheimer's disease or those whose dementia is unrelated to APOE genetics are less likely to see direct benefits from this project in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify sex- and APOE-specific biomarkers and therapeutic targets that improve diagnosis or lead to more personalized treatments for Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have performed: Previous single-cell and APOE-focused studies have provided important insights into Alzheimer's, but combining single-nucleus RNA and ATAC data with sex-stratified network modeling is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Bin — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Bin
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.