Inherited DNA patterns linked to Alzheimer's and brain scans
Official title: Efficient IBD mapping for Alzheimer's Disease and related brain imaging phenotypes
Funded at New York University · NIH-11502896 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will look for shared inherited DNA segments to find genetic factors linked to Alzheimer's disease and related brain-imaging changes in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $339,495 |
| NIH project number | 7R01AG081398-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11502896 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with Alzheimer's, those with a family history of the disease, or volunteers willing to share genetic data and brain scans through biobanks would be most relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients looking for immediate new therapies or symptom relief should not expect direct benefit because this is genetic mapping research rather than a treatment trial.
What this research studies
This project uses large genetic and brain-imaging datasets to search for stretches of DNA that relatives share (identical-by-descent) that may carry Alzheimer's risk. The team will build faster statistical and computational tools to find these shared segments in very large samples. They will apply these tools to UK Biobank brain-imaging data and try to replicate findings in the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project, combining evidence across diverse populations. The researchers plan to share their methods and results publicly so other scientists and clinicians can use them.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new genetic regions tied to Alzheimer's that improve risk prediction and point to targets for future treatment research.
How similar studies have gone: Previous genome-wide studies have identified some Alzheimer's risk genes, but using identical-by-descent mapping on large imaging datasets is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Han — New York University
- Study coordinator: Chen, Han
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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.