ORPBiT: A centralized omics repository for post-mortem brain tissue in alcohol use disorder
Funded at Indiana University Indianapolis · NIH-11422754 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A centralized data hub will organize and harmonize multi-omics data from post-mortem brains of people with alcohol use disorder to accelerate brain-disease insights.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $499,275 |
| NIH project number | 1R24AA033313-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11422754 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Researchers and clinicians who study alcohol use disorder and brain biology, including those who will contribute samples or use the data for analyses.
✕Less likely to help
Direct individual patient participation or personal medical interventions are not part of this repository-building effort.
What this research studies
This NIH grant funds the creation of ORPBiT, a centralized repository that consolidates multi-omics data from human post-mortem brain tissue affected by alcohol use disorder. The project will harmonize data across regions, modalities, and platforms (bulk and single-cell RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, methylation, proteomics, spatial omics) to enable cross-study analyses. By reducing computational barriers, it will make complex brain omics data more accessible to researchers, including bench scientists, with clear subject-level relationships preserved. The effort includes data processing pipelines, standardized metadata, and user-friendly access for scientists studying the biology of alcohol-associated brain changes. The end goal is to accelerate discoveries that could inform prevention and treatment approaches for alcohol-related brain diseases.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Patients could benefit indirectly through faster discovery of brain changes linked to alcohol use disorder, potentially guiding new therapies and interventions.
How similar studies have gone: Prior multi-omics brain projects show that integrated datasets enable new insights, though comprehensive post-mortem brain harmonization remains challenging and novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Indiana University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Yunlong — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Liu, Yunlong
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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.