Neurons made from people with mild cognitive impairment to find early causes of Alzheimer’s
Age-equivalent neurons from MCI patients to investigate early determinants of AD
They will make brain cells from adults with mild cognitive impairment to find early changes that lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11322069 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Scientists will take skin cells from adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and directly convert them into neurons that keep the donor’s biological age. The team will examine these patient-derived neurons for molecular and cellular changes that appear early in the path toward Alzheimer’s. This method preserves age-related signatures often lost in other lab models and captures a person’s genetic risk, giving a more adult-like view of disease biology. Results may highlight specific pathways that trigger progression from MCI to Alzheimer’s and point to targets for early intervention.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults (age 21+) diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment who can provide a skin biopsy or other tissue sample for cell conversion.
Not a fit: People without MCI, those with advanced Alzheimer’s dementia, or individuals unable or unwilling to provide tissue samples are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal early molecular targets to prevent or slow progression from MCI to Alzheimer’s disease.
How similar studies have performed: Related work using directly converted induced neurons from patient skin cells has shown these cells retain aging signals and reveal Alzheimer-like cellular problems, so this builds on promising but still early evidence.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mertens, Jerome S. — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Mertens, Jerome S.
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.