Crnic Institute’s supergroup scientists received a $2.9 million grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for their important research on beta-amyloid, the protein encoded on chromosome 21 that causes Alzheimer’s disease.

Because individuals with Down syndrome carry an extra copy of the gene that encodes the beta-amyloid, nearly every person with Down syndrome will develop the brain pathology of Alzheimer’s disease at a relatively young age. However, there are major gaps in the understanding of how beta-amyloid disrupts neuron function in Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease.

This team hopes to reveal how beta-amyloid causes the loss of connections between neurons so that new therapeutic strategies to block the neurotoxic activities of beta-amyloid can be developed.

Recent Posts

• Historic First Win: House Passes DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act
• NIH Award Funds Data Coordinating Center for Down Syndrome Research
• Down Syndrome Research Could Provide Important Insights Into Cancer Treatments
• The Importance of Immune System Dysregulation in People with Down Syndrome
• $2.9 Million For Down Syndrome & Alzheimer’s Research