Federal Project Grant Award Summary

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Inc. received a $758,781 Project Grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866), with an award date of February 1, 2026 and completion date of December 31, 2030. The award supports the development of novel pro-drug imaging agents designed to detect neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The research focuses on identifying and validating a lead small molecule imaging compound, [18F]SJ09, that targets Receptor Interacting Serine/Threonine Kinase 2 (RIPK2)—a key protein in the pro-inflammatory immune response pathway central to AD pathogenesis. This approach represents a significant advancement over existing neuroinflammation detection methods, as RIPK2-targeted imaging offers improved biological specificity and disease relevance compared to current translocator protein (TSPO) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging techniques.

The deliverables under this award include the preclinical development, characterization, and validation of the [18F]SJ09 imaging agent as a potential biomarker for early-stage neuroinflammation in AD. This work will contribute to improved understanding of central molecular pathways in AD pathology and enable earlier identification of vulnerable neurons prior to cell death, supporting the NIA's mission to advance prevention and treatment strategies for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias through biomedical research and technology development.