Researchers supported by Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals are advancing a promising new approach that could one day help protect memory and cognitive function in individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and recovering from traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Led by Andrew Pieper, MD, PhD, Director of the Center for Brain Health Medicines at Harrington Discovery Institute, and collaborator Sanford Markowitz, MD, PhD, Case Western Reserve University, 2013 Harrington Scholar-Innovator, the research focuses on a protein called 15-PGDH, which appears to play an important role in brain inflammation and degeneration.
In preclinical studies, blocking 15-PGDH protected memory, preserved healthy brain function, and prevented cognitive decline, in models of Alzheimer’s disease. The benefits were achieved without targeting amyloid plaques, the hallmark protein buildup that has long been the focus of Alzheimer’s research.
Instead, the approach works by helping protect the brain’s natural repair systems, reducing harmful inflammation, and preserving the blood-brain barrier, a critical defense that helps keep the brain healthy.
The findings offer an exciting new way of thinking about neurodegenerative disease. Rather than focusing solely on removing disease-related proteins, researchers are exploring how to keep brain cells healthy and resilient despite the presence of disease.
For patients and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and traumatic brain injury, this research represents an important step toward new treatment possibilities. While additional development and clinical testing are needed, the work has already attracted significant attention from the scientific community and has helped establish 15-PGDH as a promising target for future medicines.
Listen to the full Science@UH podcast featuring Drs. Pieper and Markowitz for a deeper discussion of the science and its potential impact on patients.
Inflammatory
Case Western Reserve University
Harrington Scholar-Innovator
Neurology
University Hospitals - Cleveland
Harrington Investigators
July 06, 2026
Scientists found that blocking the enzyme 15-PGDH protected brain cells and improved outcomes in multiple preclinical models of Parkinson's disease. Continue Reading