Case Western Reserve University awarded $6.2 million to identify new targets for Alzheimer’s disease treatment

CLEVELAND—With a new $6.2 million, five-year grant from the National Institute on Aging, researchers at Case Western Reserve University will use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to identify gene targets that could potentially treat Alzheimer’s disease.

The goal is to provide doctors and drug companies with new information that can prevent, delay or even treat disease, said lead researcher Jonathan L. Haines, chair of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine.

Drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat Alzheimer’s disease work by removing abnormal protein clumps called amyloid plaques that build up between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain and interfere with communication between them.

Although drugs may slow cognitive decline in mild cases, they often have serious side effects and do not address the root cause of the disease.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s disease now kills more people in the United States each year than breast and prostate cancers combined.

Haynes and his research team believe the answer lies in our DNA. By following the genetic roadmap, they will use AI and machine learning for the first time to test more than 1,800 potential genes that have been identified as new targets for treatment.

“We plan to leverage the power of large-scale whole-genome datasets from two of the world’s most comprehensive Alzheimer’s disease genetic research efforts: the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project and the Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Consortium,” Haynes said.

These datasets combine information from diverse populations, making any findings nationally and racially and ethnically relevant.

Advanced computational tools, AI, and machine learning enable teams to use algorithms and statistical models to analyze patterns in data and draw inferences from it. More specifically, they want to identify the genetic mutations that cause the disease.

“At the end of this five-year project, we will provide drug developers and clinicians with a prioritized, genetically validated list of drug targets to build the next generation of Alzheimer’s disease treatments,” Haynes said.

###

About Case Western Reserve University

At Case Western Reserve, one of the nation’s leading research universities, we are passionate about seeking knowledge and finding solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. Approximately 6,200 undergraduate and 6,100 graduate students from 96 countries study in more than 250 degree programs spanning arts, dentistry, engineering, law, business, medicine, nursing, science, and social work. Our location in Cleveland, Ohio, a hub of cultural, business, and health care activity, provides students with unparalleled access to engaging academic, research, clinical, entrepreneurship, and volunteer opportunities, and prepares them to join a network of more than 125,000 alumni who are making an impact around the world. For more information, visit case.edu.