Understanding Cell Stress and Energy in Alzheimer's Disease
Defining Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Development Mitochondria Remodeling
This work explores how stress inside brain cells and problems with their energy factories contribute to conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scripps Research Institute, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10700183 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our cells have tiny factories called mitochondria that produce energy, and a network called the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that helps make proteins. In diseases like Alzheimer's, both the ER and mitochondria can become stressed and stop working correctly, but we don't fully understand how these two problems are connected. This project aims to uncover the specific ways ER stress impacts mitochondria, looking at how these changes might lead to brain cell damage. We want to learn how cells try to protect themselves from stress and why these protective steps sometimes fail, leading to disease progression. By understanding these basic mechanisms, we hope to find new ways to protect brain cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is not recruiting patients directly but could eventually benefit individuals living with Alzheimer's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, or frontotemporal dementia.
Not a fit: Patients without neurodegenerative conditions linked to ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction would not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new cellular pathways that could be targeted by future medications to slow or prevent the progression of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
How similar studies have performed: While the link between ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases is recognized, the precise mechanisms explored here are currently poorly defined and represent a novel area of investigation.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- Scripps Research Institute, the — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wiseman, Rockland Luke — Scripps Research Institute, the
- Study coordinator: Wiseman, Rockland Luke
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.