Leveraging our laboratory dedicated to neurodegenerative disorder research, our deep experience operating cGMP facilities and our partnerships with Rice University and other Texas institutions, we strive to turn scientific insight into tangible solutions that improve patient outcomes.

Areas of focus include:

 

• Foundational discoveries aimed at unraveling the molecular roots of dementia
• Cell-therapy readiness to support the next era of regenerative medicine
• Noninvasive neuromodulation strategies to prevent and treat dementia

Foundational Discovery: Unraveling the Molecular Roots of Dementia

At the Houston Methodist Research Institute, Dr. Jun Li and his team in neurology lead a translational research program defining the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive dementia and related neurodegenerative diseases. Anchored by the John M. O’Quinn Foundation Neurodegenerative Disorders Laboratory, this work integrates advanced imaging, ultrastructural analysis and single-cell transcriptomics to reveal how axonal degeneration, myelin loss and neuroinflammation contribute to cognitive decline.

The new 3D Ultrastructure Laboratory combines serial block-face electron microscopy with quantitative MRI to visualize neuronal and glial networks in unprecedented detail. Together with optogenetic and chemogenetic tools for precise circuit control, these approaches are uncovering therapeutic targets that could one day halt or reverse disease progression. Complementary single-cell transcriptomic studies extend this work into early diagnostics — identifying molecular signatures that may detect neurodegenerative changes before symptoms appear.

Beyond Dr. Li’s program, Drs. Kyuson Yun, Juan Toledo and Ali Faridar lead complementary studies in single-cell biomarker discovery, early-detection transcriptomics, protein aggregation and neuroinflammatory pathways that further strengthen the scientific base connecting Houston Methodist’s discovery research to its translational and clinical programs in dementia.

Cell-Therapy Readiness: Building the Infrastructure for the Next Era of Regenerative Medicine

Houston Methodist is preparing for the coming wave of bioengineered and cell-based therapeutics that will transform care for both neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. Drawing on deep experience operating cGMP facilities and infusion networks for oncology, we are extending these capabilities into neurodegenerative care — a level of operational readiness unmatched by other Texas institutions. With expanded cGMP manufacturing capacity and a growing network of infusion clinics, Houston Methodist is positioned to deliver first-in-human and early-phase trials for advanced cell and gene therapies — not only for cancer, but for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Our teams are developing and testing regulatory T-cell (Treg)–modulating and exosome-based therapies that address the root causes of neuroinflammation and neuronal loss. Supported by the Ann Kimball & John W. Johnson Center for Cellular Therapeutics (KJCCT) , these programs bring discovery, manufacturing and clinical delivery under one roof — enabling first-in-human trials of emerging neurorestorative therapies and dramatically accelerating the path from laboratory discovery to patient access.

Glymphatic Flow Research: Unlocking Brain Waste Clearance Pathways

At Houston Methodist, the Center for Neural Systems Restoration (CNSR ) — a collaboration between Houston Methodist and Rice University — is pioneering research into how the brain clears metabolic waste through the glymphatic system, a process tightly linked to sleep and neurodegeneration. Using innovative imaging and physiologic monitoring tools, including 7-Tesla MRI and advanced computational modeling, CNSR investigators visualize cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) flow and quantify how disruptions in this clearance pathway contribute to diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

At the CNSR, Dr. Gavin Britz and his team harness multimodal imaging, physiologic monitoring and the 7-Tesla MRI to visualize glymphatic processes in real time and study their modulation directly in patients. Through CNSR’s hospital-embedded research space, Houston Methodist is uniquely positioned to link imaging data with physiologic outcomes. Building on these insights, CNSR researchers are developing noninvasive neuromodulation strategies — such as targeted electrical stimulation to improve cerebrospinal fluid drainage — to restore healthy glymphatic flow and slow neurodegeneration. By integrating neuro-engineering, precision imaging and physiologic monitoring, Houston Methodist has established a distinctive translational niche — turning mechanistic insight into interventions that drive new dementia treatments and prevention.