Why some brain cells and networks are more vulnerable to harmful protein buildup
Official title: Network and cellular vulnerability to pathological protein progression
Funded at Van Andel Research Institute · NIH-11328810 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how proteins linked to Alzheimer’s and related dementias, like tau and alpha‑synuclein, spread through connected brain cells and networks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Van Andel Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Grand Rapids, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $440,318 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG077573-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11328810 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This work is most relevant to people with Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, or mixed protein pathologies and to those interested in research on these conditions.
✕Less likely to help
People whose cognitive problems are caused primarily by non‑protein issues, such as pure vascular dementia or other non‑neurodegenerative conditions, may not see direct benefit.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers will map where abnormal proteins appear and how they move through the brain using detailed lab models that carry one or more protein pathologies. They will align these maps to a standard brain atlas to see which brain regions and cell types become affected first. The team will compare how the brain's wiring and vulnerable cell types influence spread and test how amyloid‑beta plaques change those patterns. Insights from these maps aim to point toward targets that could stop or slow pathological protein progression.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new targets to slow or block the spread of disease‑related proteins and help preserve thinking and memory.
How similar studies have gone: Previous laboratory studies have shown that tau and alpha‑synuclein can propagate along brain networks in animal models, but translating those findings into effective human treatments remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Van Andel Research Institute
Grand Rapids, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Henderson, Michael — Van Andel Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Henderson, Michael
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.