Using AI to find existing medicines that could help Alzheimer's disease
AI-Powered Quantitative Systems Pharmacology for AD Drug Repurposing
Using advanced artificial intelligence to search for approved drugs that might work for people with Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northeastern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11467097 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses AI to analyze genetic, molecular, and other large-scale data from people with Alzheimer's and laboratory studies to predict which existing medicines could affect disease processes. The team combines machine learning, biophysics, and systems-biology models to map how chemicals interact with proteins and pathways linked to Alzheimer's. The platform prioritizes drug candidates for follow-up testing and helps explain how a drug might work in different patients. Results are intended to guide future lab experiments and clinical trials aimed at better-targeted treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with Alzheimer's disease — especially those in earlier stages or with available genetic or biomarker data — would be the eventual candidates for treatments prioritized by this platform.
Not a fit: People without Alzheimer's, without relevant molecular/biomarker data, or those with very advanced dementia are unlikely to see direct benefit from this research immediately.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed up identification of approved drugs that might slow or modify Alzheimer's biology and shorten the time to clinical testing.
How similar studies have performed: Previous drug-repurposing and AI-guided efforts have produced candidate drugs but clinical success for Alzheimer's has been limited, making this integrated AI-QSP approach relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Northeastern University — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xie, Lei — Northeastern University
- Study coordinator: Xie, Lei
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.