Medicine & Health

A new study from researchers at the School of Medicine indicates that T cells play a key role in neurodegeneration related to the brain protein tau, a finding that suggests new treatment strategies for Alzheimer’s and related diseases.

Brian Lananna, a postdoctoral research scholar in developmental biology at the School of Medicine, has received a three-year $215,478 postdoctoral fellowship award from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Research from the lab of Hong Chen, at the McKelvey School of Engineering and the School of Medicine, and collaborators found that using focused-ultrasound-mediated liquid biopsy in a mouse model released more tau proteins and another biomarker into the blood than without the intervention. This noninvasive method could facilitate diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders.

Gut bacteria can influence brain health, according to a study of mice genetically predisposed to develop Alzheimer’s-like brain damage. The School of Medicine study findings suggest a new approach to treating Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

The School of Medicine and pharmaceutical company Eisai Co. Ltd. have formed a research collaboration aimed at developing new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

A study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine yields clues to why certain parts of the brain are particularly vulnerable to Alzheimer’s damage. It comes down to the gene APOE, the greatest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

Rejuvenating the immune cells that live in tissues surrounding the brain improves fluid flow and waste clearance from the brain — and may help treat or even prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine.

Carlos Cruchaga, at the School of Medicine, has received a 2022 Zenith Fellow Award from the Alzheimer’s Association. The annual award is given to scientists who have made significant contributions to Alzheimer’s disease research and are likely to continue to do so.

A five-year $9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will fund research led by investigators at Washington University School of Medicine and at the University of Texas at San Antonio to answer how so-called transposable elements in DNA can influence Alzheimer’s disease.

When people participate in studies of aging, they often want to know what their individual risks of developing dementia from Alzheimer’s disease are. Washington University researchers have developed an algorithm that can help provide them with information about what their risks may be.