National Antivisection Society
New weapon in fight against brain disease – without testing on animals
Posted: 26 March 2009
A beneficiary of a Lord Dowding Fund (LDF) grant for research without using animals has designed a living model of brain tissue, that could be used to develop treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Motor Neurone and Parkinson’s Disease.
Professor Michael Coleman, who is leading the team at Aston University in Birmingham, has been a recipient of LDF grants for his brain research.
In the latest development, cells are taken from a tumour and ‘reprogrammed’ to stop them from multiplying. They are then turned into a co-culture of nerve cells, and astrocytes - the most basic units of the human brain. These can be turned into tiny 3D balls of cells called neurospheres, which can process information, and are essentially very small models of the human nervous system.
No animals are used in this process. The research could have important implications for people suffering with neurodegenerative conditions.
See more in this BBC news report
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For further information, contact ADI Public Relations Officer, Ally MacDonald
Office Tel: 020 7630 3344. Email: pr@ad-international.org
Further details are available from Aston University
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