Why some brains resist tau-related damage in Alzheimer's and related dementias
Official title: Systems Genetics Analysis of Resilience to Tauopathy in ADRD
Funded at University College London · NIH-11248861 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,208,087 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG085446-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11248861 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
People whose memory or cognitive problems are driven mainly by non-tau causes or unrelated medical conditions may not directly benefit from these findings.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
University College London
London, United Kingdom Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Duff, Karen — University College London
- Study coordinator: Duff, Karen
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
National Neighborhood Data Archive helps researchers study aging health in U.S. neighborhoods
A nationwide data resource will help researchers understand how where people live affects health and aging, with a focus on respiratory illnesses in older adults.
-
Understanding how neurons resist and recover from toxic chemicals
Researchers are studying how brain cells fight back against harmful chemicals to help people survive exposure.
-
Fostering Community Connections to Strengthen Youth Resilience and Well-Being
A Hawaii-based effort helps teens and young adults get mental health and preventive care more easily by building local networks and smart referral pathways.
-
Indigenous healthy homes and communities to improve health and resilience
A community-led effort in Indigenous communities in the US Southwest aims to improve housing and health, focusing on safer homes, cleaner indoor environments, and access to culturally competent care.
-
Neural Circuitry Resilience in Psychotic Disorders
Researchers are using ultra-high-field brain scans to understand how brain networks in people with schizophrenia adapt over time, with the goal of finding new ways to improve thinking and daily functioning.
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.