A new study led by Dr. Lulu Jiang at the University of Virginia may bring closer to finding better treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. On International Women & Girls in Science Day, Dr. Jiang and her team are studying tiny changes in brain instructions that could be behind the disease. They are using advanced 3D brain models and mouse models to investigate Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) and Tau protein, which play a crucial role in Alzheimer’s progression.
Tau protein helps maintain brain cell structure, while tangled clumps can disrupt communication between cells. RNA carries instructions to cells, and small changes affect how they break down. Dr. Jiang hopes that by examining patient tissue, her team will gain a better understanding of the disease’s progression from early to later stages.
The research is backed by a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health, allowing them to expand on innovative technologies used in this field. Dr. Jiang believes this study will benefit not only current and future researchers but also contribute to the next generation of scientists. For more information about Alzheimer’s disease research, visit the Alzheimer’s Association website.
Source: https://www.29news.com/2025/02/10/alzheimers-research-may-have-breakthrough-thanks-one-uva-expert-their-team