R-loops, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease: a new angle on how RNA modifications affect brain aging
Official title: Role of R-loops in transcriptional stress, genome instability, and chronic immune response in Alzheimer's disease
Funded at Purdue University · NIH-11382258 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Purdue team will study how aging-related changes in RNA and DNA structures may drive Alzheimer’s disease, using a fruit-fly model to understand brain aging and immune responses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $505,664 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS135611-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11382258 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, and who are available for future biomarker or therapeutic studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without AD or related dementias may not directly benefit from this specific mechanistic study.
What this research studies
As people age, the brain becomes more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease. This project explores how a chemical tag on RNA, called m6A, influences R-loops—structures formed during transcription—that may contribute to brain degeneration and chronic inflammation in AD. By using a Drosophila model of AD, the researchers will see how changes in m6A affect R-loop distribution, RNA-DNA hybrids, and transcriptional stress. They will also investigate how these R-loop changes could lead to DNA damage and immune activation in the aging brain. The work aims to uncover targets that could slow or modify disease progression by addressing aging-linked RNA biology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could reveal new molecular targets to slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer's by addressing aging-related RNA changes and genome instability.
How similar studies have gone: Similar lines of research in aging and neurodegeneration have shown links between RNA modifications, R-loops, and genome stability, supporting the plausibility of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Purdue University
West Lafayette, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hall, Hana — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Hall, Hana
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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.