Protein interactions in Alzheimer's disease

Analysis of protein interactions in neurodegenerative disease

NIH-funded research Scripps Research Institute, the · NIH-11332750

This project will map how proteins in the brain's endosomal-lysosomal system interact in people with late-onset Alzheimer's to find new targets for drugs.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionScripps Research Institute, the NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (La Jolla, United States)
Project IDNIH-11332750 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

From a patient's perspective, researchers will use mass spectrometry to measure and compare protein-protein interactions in the endosomal-lysosomal network from Alzheimer's-affected samples and controls. They will quantify how Alzheimer's changes the composition and biochemical properties of these protein complexes. The team will analyze tissue and cell-derived samples to build a global map of interactions that may be altered early in disease. That map will be used to highlight specific protein interactions that could be targeted by new treatments.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with late-onset Alzheimer's disease (or their families) who can donate blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or brain tissue for research or join linked sample-collection efforts.

Not a fit: People without Alzheimer's disease or those with unrelated non-neurological conditions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new drug targets in a cellular system implicated early in Alzheimer's, creating opportunities for therapies that slow or stop disease progression.

How similar studies have performed: Some prior studies have mapped protein interactions in other cellular systems and supported targeting protein–protein interactions, but a comprehensive mass-spectrometry map of the Alzheimer's endosomal-lysosomal network is largely novel.

Where this research is happening

La Jolla, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Alzheimer disease dementiaAlzheimer disease treatment
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.