NIH Funds Next Step of Cutting-Edge Research into Alzheimer’s Disease Genome

Teams of scientists will use support from the National Institutes of Health to conduct research into the genetic underpinnings of Alzheimer’s disease, analysing how genome sequences — the order of chemical letters in a cell’s DNA — may contribute to increased risk or protect against the disease. The NIH awarded grants for using innovative new technologies and computational methods for the analysis. The scientists also will seek insights into why some people with known risks do not develop the disease.

The awards, expected to total $24 million over 4 years, go to eight academic medical centers that have been at the forefront of research in Alzheimer’s genetics: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland; University of Miami; Columbia University, New York City; Boston University; University of Washington, Seattle; Washington University in St. Louis, and University of Texas, Houston.

The investigators will analyse the genome sequencing data generated during the first phase of the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP), an innovative collaboration that began in 2012 between the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), both part of NIH. The first phase of the project determined the order of all 3 billion letters in the individual genomes of 580 participants. It also generated whole exome sequencing data (focused on the proteins influencing the disorder) of an additional 11,000 volunteers — 6000 with Alzheimer’s compared with 5000 controls. Funds supporting the new analysis come from fiscal 2014 additions to the NIA budget directed at intensifying Alzheimer’s research.

“We are delighted to support the important research being accomplished under this broad-based, collaborative effort. This team effort is vital to advancing a deeper understanding of the genetic variants involved in this complex and devastating disease and to the shared goal of finding targets for effective interventions,” said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD.

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