brain tissue from unaffected donors and those with Alzhei- mer’s disease. Using the single-cell technology, the team identified ZEB1 and MAFB as candidate transcription fac- tors playing important roles in Alzheimer’s disease-spe- cific gene regulation in neurons and microglia 1 . These findings lay the groundwork for further research into the two candidate genes, including the potential for therapeu- tic targets for manipulating gene regulation in Alzheimer’s disease. One application of the data gleaned from the different tools and technologies developed and applied in the Myers Lab is the development of blood-based predictive diagnos- tic biomarkers for neurodegenerative disorders. Myers’ lab is no stranger to the biomarker field, having previously discovered cell-free nucleic acid biomarkers of colorectal adenoma, early lesions in the colon that could eventually develop into cancer 2 .
Using this same technology, the team, led by senior scientists Ben Henderson, PhD, and Brian Roberts, aims to uncover biomarkers that can diagnose early-stage disease, track disease progression, and monitor ther- apeutic effectiveness in neurodevelopmental diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and Huntington’s disease. By comparing blood plasma from control samples to samples from patients diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease, the team identifies small RNA molecules that are unique to patients with the dis- ease. If such biomarker signatures can be validated, they could become integrated into clinical care as a screen for people with a family history of neurodegenerative disease or people having undiagnosed neurological symptoms. ■
To learn more, listen to
Richard M. Myers, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, President emeritus and
M.A. Loya Chair in Genomics, research and his lab focus on genomic and genetic analysis of human traits and disease.
RESEARCH REPORT
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