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Research Programs

AutoTAC (Tau Protein Aggregates)

Illustration of a scientist looking at a sculpture of a person’s brain. A ladder rests against the sculpture, leading to a window that reveals protein aggregation in the brain.

Through this project, CARD scientists aim to de-risk a therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s and related dementias through preclinical development in the NIH Intramural Research Program. One of the most rigorous neuroanatomical signatures of Alzheimer’s is the presence of intracellular tau protein aggregates. These insoluble protein aggregates are susceptible to autophagic elimination. We have developed a strategy to engulf and eliminate these intracellular structures by targeting them for autophagic removal. Our goal is to use this strategy in collaboration with the industry to develop therapeutic targets for protein clearance in neurodegenerative diseases.