Rangachari wins neurodegenerative disease research grant

He is among only five researchers worldwide to be awarded the grant.

Vijay Rangachari / University of Southern Mississippi

The Rainwater Charitable Foundation (RCF), one of the world’s largest independent funders of tauopathy research, has awarded $500,000 to Indian-American researcher Vijay Rangachari to advance research on neurodegenerative diseases.

A chemistry and biochemistry professor at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and a T.W. Bennett distinguished professor, Rangachari focuses his research on how misfolded proteins aggregate in the brain to drive disease progression, with a special emphasis on “hybrid amyloids”—toxic protein complexes formed by tau and TDP-43.

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While both proteins are individually implicated in neurodegeneration, Rangachari’s team is investigating whether their interaction produces new harmful structures that accelerate brain cell dysfunction. His lab will work to confirm the presence of these deposits in human brain tissue, characterize their molecular structure and explore the possibility of developing antibodies for early detection.

Neurodegenerative disorders such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and frontotemporal dementias (FTDs) remain among the most devastating yet least understood conditions, with no available cures.

“We are grateful to the Rainwater Foundation and its partners for recognizing the importance and novelty of our research on ‘hybrid amyloids’—a new class of harmful protein structures that may play a key role in neurodegenerative diseases. We are eager to begin this project and uncover insights that could deepen our understanding not just of tauopathies, but of neurodegenerative disorders more broadly,” Rangachari said.

USM leaders praised Rangachari’s achievement, noting that his research enhances the university’s reputation for impactful discovery. Dean Chris Winstead emphasized its potential to “significantly impact broader neurodegenerative disease research.”

Rangachari is among only five researchers worldwide selected for funding through the 2025 Tauopathy Challenge Workshop, a $2.5 million initiative organized with CurePSP, the Aging Mind Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Association.

Rangachari holds a B.Sc and M.Sc from Delhi University, and a Ph.D from All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

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