The laboratory of Jeffrey L. Dage, PhD, is dedicated to the discovery and development of tools to enable precision medicine for neurodegenerative diseases associated with aging, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Dage has over 20 years of experience in drug discovery and early clinical development, having held roles as an individual contributor, scientific group leader, and manager. He has successfully led research groups in diverse areas, including analytical chemistry, stem cell biology, and translational science, with broad impacts across therapeutic areas.
Dr. Dage has consistently been at the forefront of identifying, developing, and applying novel technologies to address disease-relevant biological questions encountered during drug discovery and clinical development. Notably, he led the discovery and development of measuring phosphorylated tau (P-tau181 and P-tau217) in blood, a groundbreaking biomarker that aids in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and is now used worldwide. This blood test has proven invaluable for identifying Alzheimer’s disease pathology and assessing the risk of cognitive decline.
Currently, Dr. Dage’s research laboratory is focused on expanding the understanding and application of biomarkers for various neurodegenerative diseases through his involvement with the Indiana Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (IADRC), Longitudinal Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Study (LEADS), Alzheimer’s Diagnosis in Older Adults with Chronic Conditions (ADACC) Network, and The Washington Heights-Hamilton Heights-Inwood Community Aging Project (WHICAP). This includes active wet lab discovery projects investigating additional tau proteoforms for non-Alzheimer’s disease tauopathies, such as progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration, which are characterized by abnormal tau protein accumulation. The lab is also exploring biomarkers related to neuroinflammation, a critical process in the progression of many neurodegenerative diseases, aiming to identify markers that can help in early diagnosis and monitoring of disease activity. Additionally, Dr. Dage’s team is working on biomarkers for Lewy body pathology, associated with disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia, to improve diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic strategies. Through his role in the Target Enablement to Accelerate Therapy Development for Alzheimer's Disease (TREAT-AD) center at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Dr. Dage is also leading the discovery and development of target engagement and pharmacodynamic biomarkers, which are crucial for drug discovery and clinical development. These efforts collectively aim to enhance precision medicine approaches for a broader range of neurodegenerative conditions.
In addition to his research, Dr. Dage serves as the Assay Development and High Throughput Screening Core leader for the TREAT-AD Center and the Scientific Director for the Biomarker Assay Laboratory in the National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (NCRAD).
Participate with the Dage Lab in the discovery and development of tools to enable precision medicine for neurodegenerative diseases associated with aging through becoming a collaborator, lab member, research participant, or through funding our research efforts.
Become a collaborator or lab member by reaching out via email to explore opportunities where we can work together.
To evaluate opportunities for becoming a research participant in our ongoing studies, contact the Neurology clinical trials team directly at 317-963-4823 or by email to explore all ongoing clinical research and ask for Dr. Dage’s affiliated research projects or clinical trials to get connected to our ongoing studies.
