How the protein NIPP1 (SUT-6) affects harmful tau in Alzheimer’s
Official title: Investigating how SUT-6/NIPP1 regulates pathological tau
Funded at Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res · NIH-11310180 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work will see whether the protein NIPP1 changes the harmful behavior of tau that contributes to Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $528,645 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG084552-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11310180 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is relevant to people with Alzheimer's disease and other tau-related dementias (conditions marked by abnormal tau protein).
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose dementia is not driven by tau pathology (for example, conditions without significant tau accumulation) may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
Scientists followed a genetic clue from tiny worms that pointed to a protein called SUT-6 (NIPP1 in humans) that can reduce tau-related damage. In the lab they will change this protein and study how it affects enzymes and RNA splicing that control tau toxicity, using cellular and animal models that mimic aspects of Alzheimer's. The team aims to map NIPP1's interactions with other proteins and identify which activities of NIPP1 alter tau-driven damage. Results could point to specific molecular targets for future drugs to protect brain cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets for therapies that slow or stop tau-driven neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's and related dementias.
How similar studies have gone: Many efforts have targeted tau biology with mixed clinical results, and the specific role of NIPP1 is a new discovery that has not yet been tested in people.
Where this research is happening
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Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kow, Rebecca Liang — Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res
- Study coordinator: Kow, Rebecca Liang
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.