PET tracer to visualize myeloperoxidase activity in neurodegenerative diseases
Official title: Developing a PET tracer targeting myeloperoxidase activity for neurodegenerative diseases
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11387774 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new imaging tool is being developed to non-invasively show where inflammatory enzyme MPO is active in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease or related conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $633,501 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG075055-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387774 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease-related conditions who may undergo PET imaging as part of research.
✕Less likely to help
People without neuroinflammatory brain conditions or who cannot undergo PET imaging may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project creates a PET tracer that targets myeloperoxidase, an enzyme linked to brain inflammation in disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. By using this tracer, researchers hope to see early inflammatory signals in living patients and track how they change with disease progression or treatment. The study combines molecular design, preclinical testing, and early human-friendly imaging steps to ensure the tracer accurately reflects MPO activity in the brain. If successful, patients could benefit from earlier detection of neuroinflammation and more responsive monitoring for therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from earlier and more precise imaging of brain inflammation to guide treatment decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown MPO is linked to brain inflammation, supporting the potential value of MPO-targeted imaging, but this specific tracer approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, John W — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Chen, John W
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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.