Understanding how air pollution components affect Alzheimer's disease risk
Official title: IMPACT-ADRD: Investigating the Multi-omics Perturbations Associated with Complex Environmental Toxicants and their Contribution to Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
Funded at Emory University · NIH-11558026 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how different parts of air pollution may influence the development of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, using human-related samples and advanced molecular profiling.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $109,034 |
| NIH project number | 3U01AG088425-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11558026 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease or ADRD, particularly those in areas with higher air pollution exposure, may be connected to future studies or related evaluations.
✕Less likely to help
People not exposed to significant PM2.5 or those outside the study regions may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
If funded, researchers will map how specific PM2.5 components relate to changes in blood, CSF, and brain tissue. They will combine high-resolution exposure data with omics analyses to identify pathways linked to neurotoxicity and AD/ADRD risk. The goal is to uncover biological mechanisms that connect air pollution to dementia and to inform policies to reduce exposure and disease burden. This work involves human samples and may inform future prevention strategies for people at risk of AD/ADRD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A clearer understanding of which air pollutants contribute to dementia could guide prevention and regulatory actions to lower risk in communities.
How similar studies have gone: Previous omics studies have shown that environmental exposures can perturb biological pathways; this project builds on that evidence with more targeted exposure and tissue analyses.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huels, Anke — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Huels, Anke
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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.