Understanding tiny brain vessels and memory loss at single-cell detail
Official title: Elucidating Microvascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment at Single-Cell Resolution
Funded at J. David Gladstone Institutes · NIH-11362062 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to map human brain blood vessel cells at the single-cell level to understand how small-vessel disease contributes to dementia in people with Alzheimer’s.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | J. David Gladstone Institutes NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | December 3, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,165,596 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS128909-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11362062 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with Alzheimer’s disease or Alzheimer’s-type dementia who have available brain tissue (postmortem) or those affected by cerebral small vessel disease.
✕Less likely to help
Living individuals without access to postmortem brain tissue or without Alzheimer’s/CSVD pathology are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project uses advanced single-cell techniques to capture and profile the cells lining brain vessels from donated brains. It focuses on how vascular problems interact with Alzheimer’s pathology to drive cognitive decline. The study builds on a new method (VINE-seq) to isolate vascular cells from frozen brain tissue and generate detailed molecular data that could reveal new therapeutic targets. Results could help explain why vascular changes are linked to dementia and guide future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify vascular-immune pathways to target in dementia care and lead to better strategies to slow cognitive decline.
How similar studies have gone: Previous single-nucleus studies revealed key cell-type changes, but vascular brain cells were underrepresented; this project aims to overcome that gap.
Where this research is happening
-
J. David Gladstone Institutes
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Andrew Chris — J. David Gladstone Institutes
- Study coordinator: Yang, Andrew Chris
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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.