# Frontotemporal Dementia: Genes, Images, and Emotions

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2024 · $5,446,505

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY—Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD): Genes, Images, and Emotions
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) research is entering a new era of therapeutic discovery, spurred in part by
contributions from this program project grant (PPG), entitled “Frontotemporal Dementia: Genes, Images, and
Emotions,” which has a 20-year history of productivity and collaboration. In renewal, this PPG has been designed
to close important clinical-translational knowledge gaps that could, if unaddressed, impede progress toward new
therapies. The PPG will include four projects and seven cores. Project 1 will dissect the cognitive and emotional
processes disrupted in FTD using novel laboratory and neuroimaging approaches and will translate this
knowledge into automated, scalable tools for pathology prediction and disease-monitoring. Project 2 will link
transcriptomic and proteomic discovery platforms to TDP-43 loss-of-function biology, seeking to develop new
plasma-based molecular diagnostic and disease monitoring biomarkers. Project 3 will use laboratory-based
emotions research methods to evaluate FTD caregivers, a group at risk for poor health outcomes, with an eye
toward enhanced caregiver wellbeing and patient clinical trial participation. Project 4 will seek to identify sources
of heterogeneity in FTD clinical progression and treatment goals. Core A (Administration) will oversee all aspects
of the PPG to assure success of the project. Core B (Clinical) will recruit and evaluate patients and caregivers,
including those from groups historically underrepresented in research, and collect clinical, neuropsychological,
and functional assessments. Core C (Data Management and Biostatistics) will ensure data quality and availability
and provide biostatistical consultation to all projects. Core D (Neuropathology) will coordinate autopsies and
render neuropathological diagnoses, serving as the diagnostic gold standard and providing tissue for basic
science and biomarker discovery efforts. Core E (Imaging) will acquire and process MRI scans and obtain
amyloid-PET to detect AD in selected diagnostically uncertain patients. Core F (Genetics) will identify known
genetic FTD pathogenic and risk variants through whole-exome sequencing and provide gene expression
profiling in support of Project 2. Core G (Biospecimens) will obtain and bank biofluid specimens, provide samples
and proteomics data to Projects 2 and 4, and use established fluid biomarkers to detect neurodegeneration and
AD pathophysiology. These tightly integrated projects and cores will support our overall aim of accelerating
progress in the era of FTD therapeutic discovery.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10890575
- **Project number:** 5P01AG019724-22
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** MARIA LUISA GORNO TEMPINI
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $5,446,505
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2002-09-01 → 2028-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10890575

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10890575, Frontotemporal Dementia: Genes, Images, and Emotions (5P01AG019724-22). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10890575. Licensed CC0.

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