Characterizing Factors That Induce Waste Clearance in Microglia
Principal Investigator
Co-Principal Investigator
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Alison Goate, DPhil
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York, NY
Project Goals
This project aims to validate computational predictions and characterize two candidate factors that may enhance the function of microglia in clearing cell debris associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Project Summary
Human genetic studies implicate microglia, the brain’s “trash collector” cells, as key players in Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Podlesny-Drabiniok and colleagues nominated candidate factors that may boost the ability of microglia to dispose of the waste that accumulates during Alzheimer’s. Here, the study aims to validate computational predictions and characterize the role of two candidate factors in human microglia at baseline and in the context of amyloids. Researchers will also target these factors in microglia derived from people carrying two copies of APOE4 to help these cells overcome the deficits associated with this major genetic factor for Alzheimer’s. Dr. Podlesny-Drabiniok's research holds the potential to explore novel therapeutic strategies aiming to induce waste clearance processes in microglia.
Publications
First published on: August 01, 2024
Last modified on: September 10, 2024