Understanding Why Some People Age Well Despite Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias
Official title: Cell Biology and Functional Analysis
Funded at Translational Genomics Research Inst · NIH-11399390 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are building patient-derived cell models to study why some people resist or slow down dementia and how aging affects brain cells, with a focus on Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Translational Genomics Research Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Phoenix, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2004 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,381,320 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AG023122-18 |
| Project ID | NIH-11399390 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals with MCI or ADRD, healthy older adults, healthy young individuals, and those exhibiting exceptional longevity willing to contribute cells for research.
✕Less likely to help
People not directly contributing cells or clinical data may not benefit from this cellular research.
What this research studies
This project uses skin cells or blood cells from healthy young adults, older adults, and people with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s-related dementias to create brain-like cells in the lab. By turning these cells into neurons and other neural cell types, scientists can compare aging signatures and test potential interventions in a dish. The work aims to uncover mechanisms of resilience and decline, offering clues for future therapies. It also examines individuals with exceptional longevity to identify protective factors that might be leveraged to prevent or slow ADRD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide new strategies to promote brain resilience and delay or prevent dementia symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies using patient-derived iPSCs and direct-converted neurons have shown promise in modeling aging and neurodegenerative processes in vitro.
Where this research is happening
-
Translational Genomics Research Inst
Phoenix, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gage, Fred H — Translational Genomics Research Inst
- Study coordinator: Gage, Fred H
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.