# In vivo assessment of the role of neurons and glia in tau propagation

> **NIH NIH K01** · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · 2021 · $125,032

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
This is an application for a K01 award for Dr. Adrian Oblak, an Assistant Research Professor at Indiana
University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Dr. Oblak is establishing
herself as an independent researcher studying the molecular mechanisms leading to neurodegenerative
diseases. This K01 award will provide Dr. Oblak with the financial support, training and mentorship to
accomplish the following goals in order to develop her career in neurodegenerative disease research: (1) to
design, create, and utilize a Mapt mouse model to determine the effects of the loss of Mapt expression in the
adult mouse; (2) to become proficient in the use of stereotaxic methods to deliver tau preparations to the
entorhinal cortex; (3) to gain experience in the neuropathologic evaluation of samples from patients and mouse
models with neurodegeneration; (4) to obtain training in molecular biology, biochemistry and molecular
genetics to enhance and compliment Dr. Oblak’s neuroanatomy background, thus broadening her range and
ability to study neurodegeneration and (5) to develop an independent research career with the help of
successful mentors and the development of healthy and productive collaborations. To achieve these goals, Dr.
Oblak has developed a mentoring team which includes two mentors: Drs. Bernardino Ghetti (a world-renowned
leader in neurodegenerative diseases; primary mentor) and Ruben Vidal (a molecular biologist and biochemist
with expertise in the development and study of animal models for neurodegenerative diseases; co-mentor), as
well as a supportive team of collaborators composed of Dr. Mary Guerriero-Austrom (psychologist, Director of
Faculty Development, Director of Outreach, Recruitment and Education Core, Indiana Alzheimer Disease
Center), Dr. Bruce Lamb, Executive Director, Stark Neuroscience Center and Dr. Michel Goedert, a world
renowned expert in tau research and Joint Head of the Division of Neurobiology at the MRC Laboratory of
Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK, Dr. Su Gao, Professor of Biostatistics Indiana University School of
Medicine, Dr. Martin Farlow, Professor of Neurology and Dr. Liana Apostolova, Professor of Neurology.
Dr. Oblak’s proposed research focuses on the effects of decreasing tau expression during the progression of
tauopathies. Tau has recently become a prominent target for the development of therapeutic interventions for
preventing or delaying the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease (AD),
frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and some forms of prion diseases.
To determine if decreasing Mapt expression can slow or prevent progression of tau pathology, and to uncover
the consequences of modulating Mapt expression in adult tissue, the following specific aims will be performed:
Specific Aim 1. To generate a mouse model in which expression of Mapt can be conditionally knocked
out (cKO). We will use specific promoters driving expression of an ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10174647
- **Project number:** 5K01AG054753-05
- **Recipient organization:** INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Adrian Lynn Oblak
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $125,032
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10174647

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10174647, In vivo assessment of the role of neurons and glia in tau propagation (5K01AG054753-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10174647. Licensed CC0.

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