Understanding how human chaperone networks affect Alzheimer’s- and dementia-related proteins in yeast
Official title: Synthetic Reconstruction of Human Chaperone Networks in Yeast Models of Neurodegeneration
Funded at Temple Univ of the Commonwealth · NIH-11520643 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to map how human helper proteins (chaperones) interact with dementia-linked proteins using yeast to find which combinations could prevent harmful protein clumps.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Temple Univ of the Commonwealth NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | March 15, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00AG075242-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11520643 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias could benefit from future therapies informed by this research.
✕Less likely to help
This phase uses yeast models; direct patient benefits would come from future translational steps and therapies.
What this research studies
This project will express all 12,155 possible combinations of key human chaperone proteins in yeast models that mimic ADRD-related proteins like TDP43, FUS, and TAU. By observing which combos best prevent misfolded proteins from aggregating, researchers hope to identify targets that could be pursued for future therapies. The work uses a novel genetic method to systematically test the entire network, which could reveal specific chaperone configurations linked to better neuronal health. While the study is done in yeast, findings could guide later research in human cells and models of neurodegeneration.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could point to new therapeutic strategies that bolster the brain’s natural protein-cleanup system against ADRD.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that chaperone networks influence protein misfolding, but this project tests an exhaustive human network in a novel system.
Where this research is happening
-
Temple Univ of the Commonwealth
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barbieri, Edward Matthew — Temple Univ of the Commonwealth
- Study coordinator: Barbieri, Edward Matthew
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.