Genetics and Aging Research Unit

Overview

The Genetics and Aging Research Unit at MGH was founded by Dr. Rudy Tanzi in 1995. Today, the Unit consists of 11 laboratories focusing on 1. identifying genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease as director of the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund - Alzheimer’s Genome Project, 2. elucidating the mechanisms underlying the etiology and pathogenicity of the genes responsible for Alzheimer's disease through the application of molecular, cell biological, and biochemical strategies, 3. developing 3D cultures, brain organoids, and animal models of neurodegenerative diseases and 4. carrying out drug discovery and development for novel therapies aimed at treating or preventing Alzheimer's disease. The ongoing research in the Unit follows a basic roadmap that includes disease gene discovery, translational and functional studies to identify pathogenic gene variants and mutations, molecular biological and biochemical studies to elucidate pathways that have been impacted by disease-associated gene changes, and novel drug screening assays to identify small molecules or supplements that can halt or reverse pathogenic molecular and biochemical phenotypes at the cellular level.