Understanding how cholesterol moves within cells and its role in Alzheimer's disease
Official title: Investigating intracellular cholesterol distribution and trafficking using novel environment-sensitive cholesterol probes - supplementary instrumentation grant
Funded at Florida Atlantic University · NIH-10796611 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how cholesterol behaves in brain cells and how that might relate to Alzheimer's disease, using special tools to see cholesterol in action, which could help us understand its role in brain health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida Atlantic University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boca Raton, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $96,584 |
| NIH project number | 3R15GM147912-01S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10796611 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals at risk for or diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or other neurodegenerative disorders.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-neurodegenerative conditions or those without any cognitive impairment may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on the role of cholesterol in brain health, particularly how its distribution and movement within cells can affect neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. By developing new fluorescent probes, the researchers aim to visualize and track cholesterol in live cells, which could reveal important insights into how cholesterol impacts neuronal function and disease progression. The study will utilize advanced imaging techniques to explore the relationship between cholesterol trafficking and the development of Alzheimer's pathology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing or treating Alzheimer's disease by targeting cholesterol distribution in the brain.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that targeting cholesterol metabolism can have beneficial effects in neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting that this approach may also yield promising results.
Where this research is happening
-
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stawikowski, Maciej J. — Florida Atlantic University
- Study coordinator: Stawikowski, Maciej J.
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.