Mapping molecules that make some brain cells vulnerable in Alzheimer's
Mass spectrometry and multiplexed immunofluorescence imaging of metabolic and proteomic contributors to selective neuronal vulnerability in Alzheimer's disease
Using advanced imaging on donated brain tissue from people with Alzheimer's and controls to map metabolic and protein changes that could point to ways to detect or treat the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rhode Island NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kingston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11384768 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project examines postmortem brain tissue donated by people who had Alzheimer's and by people without dementia, comparing a vulnerable area (prefrontal cortex) with a relatively spared area (primary visual cortex). Researchers will use mass spectrometry imaging to locate small molecules and proteins, and multiplexed immunofluorescence to see cell-level and microenvironment changes in the same samples. The team will combine and align the two kinds of images to find molecular and cellular patterns linked to neuron vulnerability and disease stage, including links to genetic risk. The work will generate a detailed dataset of changes across regions, layers, and cells that may point to detection markers or intervention targets.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (or their families/representatives) who can enroll in a brain donation program and provide clinical history for postmortem tissue research.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate symptom relief or direct experimental therapies will not benefit directly because the study analyzes postmortem tissue to learn disease mechanisms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal biomarkers or molecular targets that help detect Alzheimer's earlier or guide future treatments to protect vulnerable neurons.
How similar studies have performed: Prior proteomics and imaging work has revealed Alzheimer's-related molecular changes, but the combined mass spectrometry imaging plus multiplexed immunofluorescence approach across brain regions at this scale is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Kingston, United States
- University of Rhode Island — Kingston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Varghese, Merina Thekenangarpadiyil — University of Rhode Island
- Study coordinator: Varghese, Merina Thekenangarpadiyil
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.