Major Funding Boost for Alzheimer’s Research at HEART-GeN!
HEART-GeN Receives Prestigious Grant for Alzheimer’s Research
We are thrilled to announce that the HEART-GeN Lab has been awarded a prestigious grant from the Alzheimer’s Association! This funding represents a major step forward in our mission to uncover the genetic and biological mechanisms driving health disparities in **Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).
Investigating Health Disparities in ADRD
Black Americans face twice the risk of developing dementia and a 50% higher stroke risk compared to their white counterparts – disparities driven by both genetic and environmental factors. However, historical housing policies and socioeconomic inequities complicate efforts to disentangle these influences at the molecular level.
Our research leverages genetic admixture in Black Americans (primarily African and European ancestries) to dissect ancestry-driven genetic effects. Previous studies from our lab identified a key role for immune and vascular pathways in ancestry-related gene expression differences – pathways critical in stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. However, aging, the primary risk factor for ADRD, was not fully explored in this context.
Our Research Goals
This pilot study will explore the molecular connections between genetic ancestry, aging, and dementia by:
- Examine how genetic ancestry affects age-related gene expression changes
- Analyze genetic variants linked to ADRD risk using bulk and single-nuclei expression data
- Identify ancestry-related risk genes by using traditional and deep learning-based genetic models
Through this work, we seek to prioritize ADRD risk genes and cell types, particularly those involved in immune pathways, ultimately paving the way for more targeted therapeutics
A Milestone for HEART-GeN
This grant is more than just funding – it’s a powerful endorsement of the urgency of address health disparities in ADRD. We are incredibly grateful to the Alzheimer’s Association for their support and commitment to advancing research in this critical area.
We look forward to sharing updates as we embark on this next phase of research.
