Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of ACE1 R1279Q in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex genetic disorder that is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly. Dr. Rudolf Tanzi and the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Alzheimer’s Genome Project have identified a new mutation in a gene called ACE1 that is associated with increased risk for AD. How the ACE1 gene causes AD is completely unknown. The goal of this project is to study the role of the ACE1 gene in the disease process in genetically engineered mice. The information gathered from this study is expected to provide greater insight into the causes of AD in people and could lead to new AD therapies.