Single-cell gene map of brains from people with multiple system atrophy
Single Cell Transcriptomic Profiling of Multiple System Atrophy Brain
This project reads gene activity in individual brain cells from people with multiple system atrophy to find cell-specific changes linked to the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11142461 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or a loved one donates brain tissue after death, researchers will isolate individual cell nuclei and read their RNA to see which genes are active in each cell. They will compare samples from the striatum, cerebellum, and cortex from people with MSA-P or MSA-C to identify which cell types and brain regions are most affected. The team will pay special attention to oligodendrocytes, where abnormal α-synuclein builds up, along with neurons and glial cells, to map disease-related changes. The overall aim is a detailed cell-type atlas of MSA that shows how different cells change across brain regions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with MSA (MSA-P or MSA-C) who can arrange brain donation after death, or family members who can consent to postmortem tissue donation.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-based, postmortem tissue study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to underlying disease mechanisms and suggest new targets or biomarkers to guide future treatments for MSA.
How similar studies have performed: Single-nucleus RNA sequencing has already clarified cell-type changes in other neurodegenerative diseases, but applying it across multiple brain regions specifically for MSA is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kang, Un Jung — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Kang, Un Jung
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.