Single-cell gene map of brains from people with multiple system atrophy
Official title: Single Cell Transcriptomic Profiling of Multiple System Atrophy Brain
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11142461 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $650,589 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS131658-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11142461 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-based, postmortem tissue study.
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.
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 gone: 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 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
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Integrated MRI biomarkers to diagnose and monitor multiple system atrophy
This project will help doctors use MRI markers to better diagnose multiple system atrophy and track how the disease progresses.
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Clinical Trial Readiness for Multiple System Atrophy
A multi-center study to help people with multiple system atrophy by creating better clinical and biological measures to use in future drug trials.
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Single-cell brain profiling to map MSA cell changes
Researchers will map gene activity in individual brain cells from people who had multiple system atrophy to understand how the disease affects cells in key brain regions.
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Investigating how inflammation caused by alpha-synuclein affects multiple system atrophy
This study is looking at how inflammation affects multiple system atrophy (MSA) and aims to understand how the immune system might play a role in the disease, with the hope of finding new ways to help people with MSA.
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Understanding brain inflammation in multiple system atrophy
This research explores how a specific immune signal, interferon-gamma, contributes to brain damage in multiple system atrophy.
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Identifying biomarkers for multiple system atrophy using gene expression analysis
This study is looking at how multiple system atrophy (MSA) affects brain cells by examining changes in their genes, and it aims to find new ways to diagnose and treat the condition, with opportunities for patients to help by sharing samples.
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.