Pitt Researchers to Study Alzheimer’s Disease in Marmosets

To reimagine existing preclinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine neuroscientists have created the first non-human primate model of hereditary Alzheimer's in marmoset monkeys, outlining their approach in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. The open-access article is titled “Bridging the Rodent to Human Translational Gap: Marmosets As Model Systems for the Study of Alzheimer's Disease.” Researchers are now working on characterizing and validating genetic, molecular, functional, and cognitive features of aging and Alzheimer’s disease in marmosets that harbor mutations in the same gene that is linked to early-onset disease in humans. Scientists hope to accelerate the pace of the drug discovery pipeline and rebuild the foundation for future translational studies while overcoming limitations inherent to existing preclinical models.