Omics testing of blood and spinal fluid to find Alzheimer’s biomarkers in diverse communities
Official title: HABS-HD - Core D - Omics Core
Funded at University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr · NIH-11173824 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses blood and spinal fluid from African American, Mexican American, and non‑Hispanic White people to find biological signs that could help detect and track Alzheimer’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Worth, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $7,902,235 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AG078109-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11173824 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (people with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, or Alzheimer’s dementia) who are African American, Mexican American, or non‑Hispanic White and willing to provide blood and possibly spinal fluid samples.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot or do not want to give blood or spinal fluid samples, or who are not in the included racial/ethnic groups, are unlikely to participate or directly benefit from this core.
What this research studies
The Omics Core collects, processes, and stores blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples from participants of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. It applies multi‑level omics methods (for example, proteomics and other large‑scale molecular tests) and compares findings with established amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration (AT[N]) biomarkers. Samples and data are shared with the study’s projects to identify patterns linked to mild cognitive impairment and dementia. The work focuses on finding population‑specific biomarker signatures that could inform diagnosis and more appropriately tailored clinical trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce more accurate, population‑specific blood or spinal fluid tests and help design treatments and trials that better fit different groups.
How similar studies have gone: Prior biomarker studies, including proteomic and plasma AT(N) markers, have shown promise for detecting MCI and neurodegeneration, but a large multi‑omics comparison across these diverse groups is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr
Fort Worth, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, Leigh a — University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: Johnson, Leigh a
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.