Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston received a $650,533 Project Grant from the National Institute on Aging (Aging Research program, CFDA 93.866) awarded February 1, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2031. The grant supports biomedical research investigating the contribution of intramural von Willebrand factor (VWF) to cerebrovascular dysfunction in amyloidosis, particularly as it relates to cerebral amyloid angiopathy and Alzheimer's disease-related dementia. The funded research will advance understanding of how VWF accumulates within blood vessel walls and promotes vascular remodeling through smooth muscle cell proliferation, leveraging both clinical samples from patients with confirmed cerebral amyloid angiopathy and established mouse models of amyloidosis.

The project delivers scientific investigation and experimental research services designed to elucidate the functional roles of perivascular VWF in vascular pathology and to identify potential therapeutic targets for reducing vascular remodeling through VWF depletion strategies. Research activities include controlled experiments manipulating perivascular VWF levels, morphological and cellular analyses of cerebral vasculature, and mechanistic studies examining smooth muscle cell behavior. Findings from this research will contribute to the National Institute on Aging's mission of supporting investigations into age-related neurodegeneration and dementia prevention and treatment approaches.