Daily Dose
2026
May / TTUHSC Experts Receive Junior Investigator Research Grants through Texas Alzheimer’s
Research and Care Consortium
More than 7 million Americans currently live with Alzheimer’s disease and approximately
13 million family members and friends provide unpaid care to loved ones with the disease,
according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) researchers Aric Logsdon, Ph.D., and Jonathan Singer, Ph.D., received Junior
Investigator Research Grants from the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium (TARCC).
Aric Logsdon, Ph.D.
Logsdon, an assistant professor from the Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience at TTUHSC School of Medicine, received a grant for the project, “Exploring Glycan Sulfation at the Blood-brain
Barrier in Alzheimer’s Disease.” The award runs through Nov. 30, 2027, with total
funding of $325,882.
Singer, an assistant professor for the TTUHSC Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience
and director of the Garrison Institute on Aging Memory Clinic, received a grant for his research, “Leveraging Technology to Meet the Needs of Rural
Family Caregivers in Texas.” The grant provides $329,860 in funding through Nov. 30,
2027.
Created by the Texas Legislature in 1999, TARCC originally included TTUHSC, Baylor
College of Medicine, UNT Health Fort Worth and The University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center. TARCC is a Texas-funded group of experts working together across the
state to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and improve everyday care for patients.
Jonathan Singer, Ph.D.
Lance R. McMahon, Ph.D., TTUHSC executive vice president for research and innovation,
said that with Texas ranking third in the nation for Alzheimer’s cases, research such
as this is critical to improving the lives of patients and families across the state.
“These awards support innovative early-career investigators who are advancing new
approaches to better understand, treat and ultimately prevent Alzheimer’s disease
and related dementias through collaboration and discovery.”
Logsdon’s lab studies the changes in the brain and blood vessels which may contribute
to Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders. He examines how certain sugar-like
molecules in the brain affect inflammation, brain health and communication between
the brain and bloodstream. Using advanced laboratory techniques, he investigates how
damage to the brain’s protective barrier and changes in these molecules may lead to
memory loss and neurodegenerative disease. His work could help scientists develop
new treatments and medications for Alzheimer’s and related neurological conditions.
Singer’s research specifically targets the unique healthcare challenges in West Texas.
He focuses on using technology such as telehealth and online tools to support families
and caregivers in rural and Hispanic communities caring for loved ones with memory-related
illnesses. Because many rural areas do not have easy access to specialists in aging
and dementia care, these tools can bring education, emotional support and caregiving
resources directly into people’s homes.
The goal is to help reduce stress and burnout among caregivers and caseworkers while
also supporting their mental health and helping families cope with the emotional challenges
that come with caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, Singer said.