Why certain brain cells and systems are more vulnerable in Alzheimer's
Study of Selective Cell and System Vulnerability in Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers will use patient genetic data and lab-made brain cells to find which genes and cell types drive damage in people with Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11472072 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will bring together protected and public genetic and brain-cell data from people with Alzheimer's and related resources. They will use computer analyses to pinpoint DNA regions and genes that may cause harm in specific brain cell types. Promising DNA elements will be tested in lab-grown brain cells and 3-D brain organoids made from human stem cells. Gene-editing tools will be used to change or silence these DNA regions to see how neurons, microglia, and other cells respond.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Alzheimer's disease or family members who have donated genetic, tissue, or other research samples would be most directly relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients without donated genetic or tissue samples and those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to gain direct benefits from this lab-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new biological targets that lead to treatments protecting vulnerable brain cells in Alzheimer's.
How similar studies have performed: Related projects combining human genetics, iPSC models, and CRISPR have produced promising clues about disease mechanisms but remain early-stage with limited direct clinical translation so far.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Yun — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Li, Yun
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.