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Restorative medicine
Leading the Next Era of Dementia Research
Houston Methodist scientists are advancing discovery, diagnostics and therapies that may one day change the course of neurodegenerative disease.
As the number of Texans affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias continues to grow, Houston Methodist researchers are taking bold steps to understand, prevent and one day reverse the underlying causes of neurodegeneration. Across the Houston Methodist system, scientists and clinicians are uniting discovery, technology and patient care to transform how these diseases are studied and treated.
From Molecules to Memory:
Unraveling the Roots of Dementia
Jun Li, MD, PhD, John M. O’Quinn Foundation Presidential Distinguished Chair in Neurology, and his team are mapping the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive dementia and related neurodegenerative disorders. Anchored by the John M. O’Quinn Foundation Neurodegenerative Disorders Laboratory, their work integrates advanced imaging, ultrastructural analysis and single-cell transcriptomics to reveal how axonal degeneration, myelin loss and neuroinflammation contribute to cognitive decline.
Jun Li, MD, PhD
A new 3D Ultrastructure Laboratory now allows researchers to visualize neurons and glial networks in remarkable detail using serial block-face electron microscopy and quantitative MRI. These insights, combined with genetic tools that precisely manipulate neural circuits, are uncovering potential therapeutic targets that could halt or even reverse disease progression.
Kyuson Yun, PhD
Jon B. Toledo, MD, PhD
Alireza Faridar, MD
Complementary studies by Kyuson Yun, PhD, Chair in Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Jon B. Toledo, MD, PhD, Ann and Billy Harrison Centennial Chair in Alzheimer's Research, and Alireza Faridar, MD, Stanley H. Appel Chair in Translational Neuroscience, expand this foundation—pioneering single-cell biomarker discovery, early-detection transcriptomics and investigations into neuroinflammatory pathways. Together, their work is building the molecular roadmap that connects discovery science to clinical advances in dementia care.
Reimagining Regenerative Medicine for the Brain
The next wave of medicine will be built from living cells—and Houston Methodist is ready. Drawing on deep experience in Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) production and infusion networks for oncology, the institution is extending this infrastructure to neurodegenerative disease research.
At the Ann Kimball & John W. Johnson Center for Cellular Therapeutics (KJCCT), researchers are developing and testing new classes of therapies that modulate immune and regenerative processes within the brain. These include regulatory T-cell (Treg)–modulating and exosome-based treatments that address neuroinflammation and neuronal loss at their roots.
By uniting discovery, manufacturing and clinical delivery under one roof, Houston Methodist can move discoveries quickly from the lab to first-in-human trials—dramatically accelerating the path from innovation to patient access. The result is an institution uniquely equipped to lead the coming era of cell- and gene-based therapies for dementia and related conditions.
Illuminating the Brain’s Hidden Pathways
At the Center for Neural Systems Restoration (CNSR)—a collaboration between Houston Methodist and Rice University—Gavin Britz and his team are pioneering research into the brain’s waste-clearance system, known as the glymphatic pathway. This network, closely linked to sleep, removes toxic proteins and metabolic byproducts from the brain. When disrupted, it may contribute to the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Using multimodal imaging, physiologic monitoring and Houston Methodist’s 7-Tesla MRI, CNSR investigators visualize cerebrospinal-fluid flow in real time and study how to enhance it through noninvasive electrical stimulation. By integrating neuroengineering, precision imaging and physiologic monitoring, the team is developing innovative strategies to restore healthy brain clearance and potentially slow or prevent neurodegeneration.
An Integrated Model for Discovery and Care
What sets Houston Methodist apart is the seamless connection between science and medicine. The Research Institute’s laboratories work hand in hand with clinical programs such as the Nantz National Alzheimer Center, enabling discoveries to move rapidly from molecular insights to diagnostic tools and clinical trials. Advanced imaging, on-site radiopharmacy capabilities and a system-wide infusion network make the institution uniquely equipped to deliver next-generation therapies.
Partnerships with Rice University and other Texas collaborators further extend this pipeline into device and technology innovation—such as neural-monitoring interfaces and physiologic-sensor prototypes—turning scientific insight into tangible advances for patients.
Houston Methodist’s integrated approach represents more than research readiness; it’s a new model for dementia innovation and translating discovery into hope for patients and families facing the challenges of neurodegenerative disease.
Heather Lander, PhD
November 2025
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