Neurodegeneration: chasing causes and therapies

Motor neuron disease is a severe condition that leads to paralysis and shorter life expectancy. It affects the nerve cells responsible for controlling body movements, disrupting their ability to communicate effectively. But what triggers this breakdown in communication? And can we develop treatments to restore normal communication? To tackle these questions, we are growing human neurons made from stem cells in the lab. By studying how these neurons communicate, we aim to uncover potential therapies that could prevent loss of movement and function in patients.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most prevalent form of dementia. Research has shown that the brain’s immune cells play a crucial role in the disease: They can help clean up the brain and keep it healthy, but sometimes they go into overdrive and can damage other cells in the brain. What makes them beneficial or harmful and how exactly are they involved in Alzheimer’s disease? We study microglia and their behaviour in the human and mouse brains to answer these questions, and eventually develop treatments to drive microglia towards disease-protective states.