2023
Human genetic studies conducted by us and others strongly implicate microglia, the brain’s “trash collector” cells, as key players in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We integrated genetics and genomics data to nominate candidate factors that may boost the ability of microglia to dispose of the waste that accumulates during aging and disease. Here, we propose to validate the computational prediction and characterize the role of one candidate factor in human microglia at baseline and in the context of amyloid beta accumulation. We also will target this factor in microglia from patients who carry two copies of APOE4 to help these cells overcome the deficits associated with this major genetic risk factor for AD.
Alison Goate, D.Phil.
Edoardo Marcora, Ph.D.
