Neural progenitors and Alzheimer's disease  Funding Type:  New
Faculty I Grant Number:  ICOC Funds Committed:  Public
Abstract:  The applicant proposes to undertake a program of
research that aims to reveal how Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain
affects the biology of neural progenitor cells. This aim is to
understand if neurogenesis in AD is dysfunctional and leads to a
vulnerable environment for later occurring neurodegeneration. It
will also investigate systemically what mechanisms are altered
in the AD neural progenitors that will generate potential drug
targets. Using a broad molecular approach to the study of NPC
biology in AD-like environment, the candidate plans to answer
two crucial and interrelated questions: first, how and why
neurogenesis is altered in the AD brain and second, does adult
neurogenesis contributes to the development of AD and related
dementias. The study is built on the candidate’s expertise in
neural stem cell biology, functional neurogenomics and animal
experimentation. This is a high