Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston received a $654,110 Project Grant award from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866), effective February 1, 2026, through December 31, 2030. The award supports biomedical research investigating the role of Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2), an epigenetic modifier, in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. The research focuses on how EZH2 controls endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and claudin-5 expression in cerebral blood vessels, with the objective of determining whether pharmacological inhibition of EZH2 can restore vascular function, improve blood-brain barrier integrity, and enhance cognitive outcomes in aged transgenic mouse models of CAA and AD.

The project will deliver scientific findings and methodological advances examining the mechanistic relationship between epigenetic modifications and vascular dysfunction in dementia, including novel insights into how sex differences influence disease pathology and treatment response. Research products will likely include peer-reviewed publications, technical reports documenting experimental protocols and outcomes, and data supporting potential therapeutic interventions targeting EZH2 inhibition as a treatment strategy for age-related neurodegenerative diseases. This research aligns with the NIA's strategic priority of identifying prevention and treatment approaches for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.