Imaging brain inflammation in Alzheimer's with new NLRP3 PET tracers
Official title: Probing neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease with NLRP3 PET radiotracers
Funded at Virginia Commonwealth University · NIH-11457062 · Data updated 2026-11-12
New PET imaging tracers that detect NLRP3-related brain inflammation for people with Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $625,387 |
| NIH project number | 4R01AG076912-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11457062 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment likely due to Alzheimer's who can travel for PET scans and complete imaging procedures.
✕Less likely to help
People without Alzheimer's, those with other causes of cognitive symptoms not linked to NLRP3, or anyone unable to undergo PET imaging may not benefit from this work.
What this research studies
Researchers are developing small-molecule PET tracers that bind the NLRP3 inflammasome, a protein complex linked to inflammation in Alzheimer's. They will test tracer chemistry, how the tracer is absorbed and cleared (ADME), and how well it labels NLRP3 in laboratory models and human-relevant samples. The team plans to move promising tracers toward human brain imaging to see if they safely show inflammation patterns in people with Alzheimer's. This work is intended to create a tool clinicians and researchers could use to track inflammation and to monitor whether anti-inflammatory treatments reach their target.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these PET tracers could let doctors and researchers see and measure a specific type of brain inflammation in Alzheimer's, aiding diagnosis and drug development.
How similar studies have gone: Previous PET tracers for neuroinflammation, such as TSPO-targeting agents, have shown mixed results, and NLRP3-targeting PET tracers are a novel approach with limited human data to date.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Shijun — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Shijun
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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.