Research Projects
Protecting blood vessels in dementia
Awarded to:
Dr Scott Miners
Current award:
£419,025.00
Institution:
University of Bristol
Dates:
1 August 2019 - 1 June 2023
Full project name:
Exploring the pathophysiology of vascular dysfunction and pericyte loss in dementia
Diagnosis
Treatments
Understand
Risks
Symptoms
This pioneering project sees Dr Scott Miners, from the University of Bristol, investigate specific changes to blood flow in the brain during Alzheimer’s.
Dr Scott Miners, at the University of Bristol will determine whether changes to specialised cells that help to regulate the brain’s blood supply could reliably predict the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr Miners will work with brain tissue donated by people who died with Alzheimer’s disease to investigate the role of cells called pericytes.
Pericytes sit within the walls of blood vessels and work to regulate blood flow in the brain. They are essential in maintaining the structure and function of blood vessels.
He will also test potential drug targets with the aim of preventing the loss of pericytes and restoring blood flow, in the hope this could stave off disease.
The findings from this research could inform the direction of future clinical trials of Alzheimer’s drugs.
What will they do?
Dr Scott Miners will first examine brain tissue to see the role pericytes play across different diseases that cause dementia.
Through this work he will investigate changes to pericytes and how this is related it to a range of other changes to the blood supply to the brain.
Working with mice with features of Alzheimer’s, Dr Miners will assess the timing of pericyte loss in relation to reduced brain blood flow, the build-up of the hallmark Alzheimer’s protein, amyloid, nerve cell loss and loss of cognitive abilities.
Finding ways to prevent damage to pericytes, could open the door to new approaches for preventing or treating Alzheimer’s disease.
Help us fund more projects like this one
Dementia is one of the world’s greatest challenges. It steals lives and leaves millions heartbroken. But we can change the future.
