Understanding how tiny brain messengers spread in Alzheimer's disease
A pulse-labeling assay to track extracellular vesicle spreading in the brain
This project aims to create new tools to see how tiny packages called extracellular vesicles move through the brain, especially in people with a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11170435 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are like tiny bubbles that cells use to communicate, and they are thought to play a role in how Alzheimer's disease develops and gets worse by spreading harmful proteins in the brain. These EVs could also be useful for finding early signs of Alzheimer's or even delivering medicines to specific brain cells. However, we currently lack good ways to actually see how these EVs move and are taken up by different brain cells. This project will develop a special labeling method to visualize EV movement in the brain and then use it to see how a specific genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's, called APOE4, affects this spreading.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational work focuses on understanding disease mechanisms, so it is most relevant to patients with Alzheimer's disease or those at risk due to the APOE4 gene, as future applications may stem from this knowledge.
Not a fit: Patients without Alzheimer's disease or related neurological conditions are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a better understanding of how Alzheimer's disease progresses and help develop new ways to diagnose or treat the condition by targeting these tiny messengers.
How similar studies have performed: While the role of EVs in disease is recognized, tools for visualizing their movement in living brains are currently limited, making this a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Waites, Clarissa Leigh — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Waites, Clarissa Leigh
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.