Making lab-grown human brain cells act older so they better model Alzheimer’s
Novel strategies for induction of aging in human PSC-derived lineages for modeling Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers are trying ways to age human stem-cell derived brain cells in the lab so they can better study Alzheimer’s and help people living with the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11332917 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) turned into neurons and glia to model Alzheimer’s disease in a patient-specific way. Because lab-grown brain cells are usually young, researchers will develop and measure methods to make these cells show older, age-related features. The team will use patient-derived or genetically engineered stem-cell lines, compare many lines in parallel, and model inflammatory interactions seen in Alzheimer’s brains. Findings will be linked to clinical data from annotated patient cohorts to improve relevance to real-world disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with Alzheimer’s disease who are willing to provide tissue samples (for example blood or skin) or share clinical data for creation of patient-specific stem-cell lines would be suitable contributors.
Not a fit: People looking for an immediate therapy or those unable or unwilling to provide samples or clinical data are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could create more realistic human cell models of Alzheimer’s that speed up discovery of treatments and improve understanding of disease mechanisms.
How similar studies have performed: Related efforts have shown it is possible to induce some age-related features in lab-grown neurons, but fully recreating late-life Alzheimer’s biology in cells remains an active and partly novel area.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Studer, Lorenz P. — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Studer, Lorenz P.
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.