Team Science: State of Florida Supports Miller School Alzheimer’s Research
Summary
- A group of basic, translational and clinical researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine is using research support from the state of Florida to investigate novel strategies for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
- A team of researchers is studying the brain to identify cellular and molecular events associated with abnormal inflammasome signaling potentially related to Alzheimer’s disease.
- One facet of research involves evaluating specific and sensitive surrogate markers for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s
A group of basic, translational and clinical researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine is using research support from the state of Florida to investigate novel strategies for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and new treatment strategies.
The Miller School research team has been collaborating for three years, with four synergistic projects looking at the pathophysiology, treatment and diagnostics of experimental and clinical Alzheimer’s disease.
“We are very grateful for the support of our team science program as we explore multiple facets of this very complex disease,” said W. Dalton Dietrich, Ph.D., scientific director of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and professor of neurological surgery and senior associate dean for team science at the Miller School.
The investigative team draws upon the talents of several Miller School departments and centers, with expertise in the discovery of novel blood and imaging biomarkers for early diagnosis of disease processes, neuropathological assessment of the Alzheimer’s-affected human brain and translational approaches using transgenic models of Alzheimer’s disease to clarify the role of gut inflammation in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s.
Inflammasome Signaling and Alzheimer’s Disease
With this year’s state funding, Dr. Dietrich is studying the brain to identify cellular and molecular events associated with abnormal inflammasome signaling and related neurodegenerative processes. He’s joined by researchers:
• Regina Vontell, Ph.D., associate professor of neurology
• Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari, Ph.D., associate professor of neurological surgery
• Robert W. Keane, Ph.D., professor of physiology and biophysics
Colleagues from the University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank, one of the few designated brain and tissue biorepositories in the U.S., are characterizing regional cellular responses to human disease progression to help identify new drug targets.
Markers for Early Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
A second facet of research involves evaluating specific and sensitive surrogate markers for the early diagnosis of the disease, led by:
• David Loewenstein, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences
• Rosie Curiel, Cid, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences
• Dr. de Rivero Vaccari
These studies utilize a recently established Miami Project biomarker discovery core to measure proteins in cerebrospinal fluid and blood.
Imaging Inflammation and the Gut-Brain Access
Daniel Bilbao Cortes, Ph.D., research professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, and Christian Mason, Ph.D., assistant scientist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the Miller School, are developing and testing a novel radioligand tracer to detect inflammatory indicators of early Alzheimer’s disease using positron emission tomography imaging.
In parallel, Nadine Kerr, Ph.D., assistant professor of neurological surgery, and Helen Bramlett, Ph.D., professor of neurological surgery, are joining Dr. Dietrich to investigate the role of gut-brain axis dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an Alzheimer’s disease risk factor, and the researchers are using transgenic Alzheimer’s models to clarify how pro-inflammatory mediators can alter the gut microbiome and aggravate the progression of Alzheimer’s-related neuropathological and cognitive abnormalities.
Cumulatively, these investigations are generating new knowledge and advancing the field of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to identify novel opportunities for people at risk for Alzheimer’s or in the early stages of the disease.
“Alzheimer’s disease is projected to impact more than 13 million people in the U.S. alone by 2050,” said Dr. Dietrich. “This is an important program, and the Miller School has the depth of knowledge across multiple specialties to make a significant contribution to the fight against Alzheimer’s. We again acknowledge and thank the state of Florida for their support of this important program.”
Tags: Alzheimer's disease, cognitive decline, Dr. Daniel Bilbao Cortes, Dr. Helen Bramlett, Dr. Nadine Kerr, Dr. Pablo de Rivero Vaccari, Dr. Regina Vontell, Dr. Robert Keane, Dr. W. Dalton Dietrich III, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis