UC Irvine receives NIH $10M to map changes linked to Down Syndrome, Alzheimer’s

University of California Irvine has announced a nearly $10 million award from the National Institutes of Health to investigate a possible connection between Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease and potentially advancing understanding of neurodegenerative disease more broadly. Funded through the National Institute on Aging’s INCLUDE Project, the award provides approximately $6.1 million for the first three years, with another $4 million to be distributed later. Researchers will analyze more than 90 donated brains across three regions, mapping cellular changes linked to Alzheimer’s and comparing them with typical aging and late-onset Alzheimer’s. The project aims to identify early disease markers and potential prevention or treatment targets, with findings publicly shared to accelerate research.