'Microbrains' to improve treatment of Alzheimer's

A new research project will cultivate nerve cells in test tubes in order to develop microbrains.

This   method is paving the way for testing new drugs, which can treat Alzheimer’s disease. Rigshospitalet, the pharmaceutical industry, several universities and the Danish Dementia Research Centre & Memory Clinic are behind this project.

The Danish Dementia Research Centre & Memory Clinic is taking part in the first phase of a large project, where skin cells will be collected from Alzheimer’s patients. These skin cells will be transformed into small neurons in test tubes in order to act as a model microbrain. This model, with its manipulated nerve cells, will then solely be used for testing different medicines to treat, for example, Alzheimer’s disease.

The trial opens for the possibility that researchers can follow disease progression in the microbrain, and in this way target the medical treatment to the individual patient. If the trial is successful, this method could also be applied in connection with other congenital diseases.

The Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University and the biomedical enterprises Lundbeck, Bioneer and Pixiegene are also involved in the project. The project will run over the next three years, and will receive DKK 14 mill. in funding from the Advanced Technology Foundation.