Understanding a special brain cell type in Alzheimer’s disease
Official title: Defining the Role of Varicose Projection Astrocytes in Alzheimer's Disease Pathology
Funded at Towson University · NIH-11344165 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project will study a unique type of brain cell called VP astrocytes to learn how they affect Alzheimer’s disease in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Towson University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Towson, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $471,303 |
| NIH project number | 1R15AG101508-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11344165 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease who could contribute brain tissue samples or participate in related laboratory studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Alzheimer’s pathology or those not contributing tissue samples or living in areas without study sites may not benefit.
What this research studies
Scientists will use human stem cell models and brain tissue from people who had Alzheimer’s to study VP astrocytes, a reactive cell type linked to inflammation in the brain. They will map the molecular signatures of these cells and see how they contribute to Alzheimer’s pathology, using patient-derived cells and advanced single-cell techniques. Undergraduate researchers at Towson University will gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge neurobiology through a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience. The findings could reveal new cellular targets for therapies aimed at reducing brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could identify VP astrocyte-driven pathways as targets for therapies to slow or modify Alzheimer’s disease progression.
How similar studies have gone: This area is emerging, with prior work suggesting astrocyte involvement in neuroinflammation; the VP astrocyte concept is relatively new and its translational impact is being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
Towson University
Towson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Falcone, Carmen — Towson University
- Study coordinator: Falcone, Carmen
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how brain activity changes may drive Alzheimer’s disease progression in a mouse model
Researchers are testing how changes in brain signals and protein cleanup processes affect the development of Alzheimer’s disease in mice.
-
Thiamine-boosting therapy for Alzheimer’s: understanding how benfotiamine may reduce harmful AGE in DP patients
A medication-based approach using high-dose vitamin B1 (benfotiamine) is studied to help people with Alzheimer's by reducing harmful sugar-related molecules.
-
Non-invasive tears biomarker for early Alzheimer's in LMICs
A low-cost, tear-based biomarker approach aims to detect early Alzheimer’s disease in older adults in Peru and similar settings.
-
Turning APOE4 into protective APOE2 or APOE3Christchurch to help with Alzheimer’s
A patient-facing explanation of a treatment idea that aims to change a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease in the brain.
-
Telomerase in Alzheimer’s Disease: how aging biology could influence memory and brain health
Researchers are exploring a new brain-aging mechanism linked to telomerase, with potential to slow or modify Alzheimer’s disease in people and improve cognitive function.
-
Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease: Sensory, Motor, and Cognitive Clues
Researchers are testing simple sensory and movement tasks to find early signs of Alzheimer’s disease so they can diagnose and treat people sooner.
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.