New radioactive tracers to image tau in Alzheimer's and related dementias
Novel Tau-Targeted Radiohalogenated Agents for Alzheimer's Disease
This project develops radioactive tracers to help doctors see tau protein buildup in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11249633 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are creating radioiodinated molecules that bind to tau protein so tau tangles can be seen with PET and SPECT brain scans. They will test these tracers on donated human brain tissue from people who had Alzheimer's and other tau-related diseases and use lab-labeled versions for detailed binding studies. The team will compare tracer binding to existing tau markers and to current PET agents to understand where the new tracers work best and where they may have limits. The aim is to detect different tau forms (including 4R tau variants) and improve imaging of early or atypical disease stages.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people with diagnosed or suspected Alzheimer's disease or other tau-related dementias who might take part in future PET or SPECT imaging studies.
Not a fit: People whose memory problems are not linked to tau pathology (for example purely vascular dementia or non-neurodegenerative causes) are unlikely to benefit directly from these tracers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these tracers could let clinicians detect and track tau buildup more accurately, improving diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer's and related dementias.
How similar studies have performed: Other tau PET tracers (for example [18F]MK-6240) have shown promise imaging neurofibrillary tangles, but these new radioiodinated tracers aim to improve detection of specific tau forms and to be useful for PET and SPECT.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mukherjee, Jogeshwar — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Mukherjee, Jogeshwar
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.