Understanding how brain injuries may lead to Alzheimer's disease
Official title: Applying human in vitro models to understand the link between trauma and tau pathology
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-10786930 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a traumatic brain injury might lead to Alzheimer's disease by affecting brain cells, and it's for anyone interested in understanding how brain injuries could impact memory and thinking in the future.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $457,049 |
| NIH project number | 1R21NS135179-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10786930 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have suffered a traumatic brain injury and are at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease or related dementias.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not experienced a traumatic brain injury or those who are already diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer's disease may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the connection between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the development of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. It focuses on how TBI may cause calcium overload in brain cells, leading to changes in tau proteins that are associated with Alzheimer's. Using human stem cells, the study will examine how different brain cell types respond to trauma and measure the resulting damage and inflammatory responses. The goal is to uncover the mechanisms linking TBI to Alzheimer's, which could inform future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that prevent or mitigate Alzheimer's disease in individuals who have experienced traumatic brain injuries.
How similar studies have gone: While the connection between TBI and Alzheimer's is recognized, this specific approach using human in vitro models to explore the underlying mechanisms is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
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University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Finan, John D — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Finan, John D
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.