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Mass General Brigham neuroscientist receives research funding
The Boston Globe • • health
Key Points:
- Rudolph Tanzi, a leading neuroscientist at Mass General Brigham, will receive up to $41 million in federal grants plus $25 million from philanthropists to fund a four-year study testing 5 to 10 drug combinations for Alzheimer’s treatment.
- Tanzi co-founded Acta Pharmaceuticals, which recently raised $24 million to begin clinical trials of a new experimental drug aimed at preventing harmful amyloid protein buildup in the brain.
- Tanzi's research includes the development of “Alzheimer’s in a Dish,” a rapid screening model using human brain cells that accelerates testing of potential treatments compared to traditional mouse models.
- The upcoming clinical trials will test drug combinations on patients with Alzheimer’s biomarkers, aiming to slow disease pathology by monitoring changes in blood samples.
- Tanzi envisions a future where Alzheimer’s prevention could be as routine as taking statins for heart disease, potentially stopping cognitive decline before symptoms appear.
