Retina scans and blood tests to detect small-vessel changes linked to memory problems in diverse adults
Validation of Imaging and Blood-based Small Vessel VCID Biomarkers in Multiethnic Population
This project uses retinal imaging and blood markers to find small-vessel brain changes tied to memory problems in adults from diverse racial backgrounds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11159655 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you'll have noninvasive retinal scans (OCTA), brain MRIs, and blood draws over time to look for signs of small-vessel damage that can affect thinking and memory. The USC team will follow at least 200 people in the Los Angeles area from different ethnic backgrounds, with an emphasis on enrolling African American and other underrepresented groups. USC is working with several other sites as part of the MarkVCID consortium to make sure the same tests work across clinics. Your scans and blood samples could help link eye, blood, and brain changes to cognitive decline.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults with risk factors for small-vessel disease or early memory concerns, especially African American and other underrepresented individuals who live near Los Angeles.
Not a fit: People whose memory problems are known to be caused by nonvascular conditions may not receive direct benefit from these biomarkers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these tests could help detect small-vessel-related cognitive problems earlier and improve monitoring of disease over time.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier phases of the MarkVCID consortium and pilot studies have shown promising signals for these retinal and blood markers, but full multi-site clinical validation is still under way.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES
- University of Southern California — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Danny Jj — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Wang, Danny Jj
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 below.