Neuroimmunology Core

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NEUROIMMUNOLOGY CORE PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Columbia University ADRC’s Neuroimmunology (Neuroimm) Core supports the development of biosample and data resources along one of the three thematic axes of the ADRC. Characterizing immune responses is an important component of AD investigations, but these responses are not solely responsible for the disease. Thus, it is important to integrate thoughtful, informed study design, specialized resources as well as emerging experimental and analytic pipelines for systematic immune function characterization with existing biomarker, genetic, neuroimaging and other resources to assemble a comprehensive approach to AD investigations. Our understanding of the role of the immune system in AD is rapidly evolving, and innate immune cells appear to play a key role. Thus, we propose to: (1) create a new sample resource by cryopreserving CSF cells from each recruited subject, (2) create new assays that measure surrogate markers of microglia in CSF, (3) assess the systemic state of inflammation in each of the sampled subjects, and (4) estimate the functional capacity of each individual’s microglia to respond to key stimuli. Thus, we will generate novel sample, assay, and data resources with which to accelerate the characterization of the immune system in AD.