Immune cells in the brain's choroid plexus and aging
Official title: The development and function of aging-associate innate lymphoid cells in the choroid plexus
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11457049 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether boosting a specific type of immune cell in the brain's choroid plexus can reduce inflammation and help people with Alzheimer's-related memory problems, using mouse experiments and human tissue samples.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $614,458 |
| NIH project number | 4R01AG078459-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11457049 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be older adults with Alzheimer’s disease or age-related cognitive decline who can provide tissue samples or consider joining future clinical trials.
✕Less likely to help
People with non‑Alzheimer causes of cognitive impairment, much younger individuals, or those unable or unwilling to provide samples or join trials are less likely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This work focuses on group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) that build up in the choroid plexus as people age. Researchers will use special mouse models to trace where these cells come from and will move or remove them to see how they affect the aging brain. They will compare mouse results to human tissue observations to confirm relevance to people. Finally, they will test whether enhancing ILC2 function can lower brain inflammation and improve memory in mouse models that have Alzheimer’s-related pathology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new immune-based treatments that reduce brain inflammation and improve memory for people with Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have gone: Immune-targeting approaches have shown benefit in animal models of neuroinflammation, but targeting ILC2 cells specifically for Alzheimer's is a relatively new and largely untested idea.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Qi — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Yang, Qi
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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.