Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Miami's School of Medicine received a $3.23 million Project Grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866), awarded March 1, 2026, with a completion date of February 28, 2031. This five-year research initiative will conduct integrative analyses focused on understanding the X chromosome's contribution to Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk and protection in large, heterogeneous population cohorts. The project addresses a significant gap in AD research by systematically investigating X chromosome genetics and epigenetics, which have been historically overlooked due to analytical complexity.

The research will be executed through three primary aims: (1) expanding knowledge of X chromosome genetic architecture in relation to AD risk and protection; (2) identifying DNA methylation differences on the X chromosome associated with AD in both brain and blood tissues; and (3) performing integrative multi-omics analysis to decipher the functional basis of X chromosome variants associated with AD. By leveraging genetic, DNA methylation, and multi-omics population cohort datasets, the research will substantially improve understanding of X chromosome contributions to AD pathogenesis, thereby facilitating development of more targeted prevention, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies for this age-related neurodegenerative disease.