Determining the molecular consequences of Alzheimer's disease non-coding risk loci in human microglia

Recent studies have made significant strides towards defining the genetic factors contributing to an individual's likelihood for developing Alzheimer's disease. Importantly, these studies have revealed the importance of brain immune cells, specifically microglia, on the onset and progression of disease. However, a better understanding of the consequences of the genetic factors on microglia function is required for the development of new therapies. The aim of this study is to utilize novel gene editing and genomics techniques, and computational approaches, to characterize the consequences of identified genetic factors on microglia functions. This will reveal cellular functions associated with Alzheimer's disease genetic risk factors, aiding in the development of effective and targeted treatment strategies. The study is conducted at the University of Tampere, in collaboration with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, and University of Eastern Finland.