Why some brains resist tau-related damage in Alzheimer's and related dementias
Systems Genetics Analysis of Resilience to Tauopathy in ADRD
Researchers are using genetically diverse mice that carry a human tau mutation to find genes that help brains resist the tau changes behind Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University College London NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (London, United Kingdom) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248861 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will breed a well-known mouse model carrying a human tau mutation with a panel of genetically diverse mouse strains to create the FTD-BXD resource. They will track behavior, brain changes, and molecular signals across those mice to see which genetic backgrounds slow or prevent tau buildup and symptom-like changes. By linking those protective traits to specific genes and pathways, researchers hope to reveal biological targets that could be turned into therapies. Although the experiments are done in mice, the focus is on genes tied to human Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia so the findings may point toward human treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: There is no human enrollment, but the results would be most relevant to people living with Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, or a family history of these tau-related conditions.
Not a fit: People whose memory or cognitive problems are driven mainly by non-tau causes or unrelated medical conditions may not directly benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to genes or pathways that lead to drugs or other strategies to prevent or slow tau-driven Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia.
How similar studies have performed: Related mouse genetics approaches have previously identified modifier genes for neurodegeneration, but moving from those discoveries to effective human treatments remains early and unproven.
Where this research is happening
London, United Kingdom
- University College London — London, United Kingdom (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Duff, Karen — University College London
- Study coordinator: Duff, Karen
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.