Imaging brain waste clearance during exosome therapy for diabetes
Imaging cerebral waste clearance responses during exosome treatment of diabetes
['FUNDING_R01'] · HENRY FORD HEALTH + MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · NIH-11319837
Using advanced MRI, researchers will look at whether tiny particles from healthy brain blood vessels (exosomes) can help clear brain waste in adults with diabetes.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | HENRY FORD HEALTH + MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (EAST LANSING, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11319837 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would get sensitive MRI scans that track how your brain clears waste through glymphatic, vascular, and meningeal lymphatic pathways. The team uses exosomes taken from healthy brain endothelial cells as a potential treatment and watches how those exosomes change waste-clearance signals on MRI. Much of the work started in diabetic rats where exosome treatment improved cognition and waste clearance, and the project aims to translate those MRI methods to people. Imaging includes SPIO-enhanced susceptibility-weighted MRI to detect small vessels and clearance pathways.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (age 21 and older) with diabetes, particularly those with memory concerns or at risk for Alzheimer's-related amyloid accumulation, would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People without diabetes, those with contraindications to MRI (such as certain implants), or those unwilling to undergo imaging or experimental exosome procedures would likely not benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable new MRI measures of brain clearance and point to an exosome-based approach that slows cognitive decline in people with diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical studies in diabetic rats have shown exosome treatment can improve cognition and brain waste clearance, but human testing is still largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
EAST LANSING, UNITED STATES
- HENRY FORD HEALTH + MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES — EAST LANSING, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: JIANG, QUAN — HENRY FORD HEALTH + MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- Study coordinator: JIANG, QUAN
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.