The FRM has decided to give a particular impetus to research
on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease. These diseases
affect a large number of people at different ages of life, and among them,
Alzheimer's disease is the most common: 900,000 people currently suffer from it
in France. But to date, no curative treatment has yet been found.
The call for projects was launched in 2019 to all French
academic research laboratories and targeted two innovative areas:
the projects had to be multidisciplinary and demonstrate
team integration,
The proposed projects should focus on deciphering the
fundamental mechanisms of the disease and address the molecular, cellular,
translational and integrated aspects of the pathophysiology and progression of
Alzheimer's and related diseases.
52 applications were deemed eligible, involving
approximately 140 teams. At the end of the application selection procedure,
eight research projects have just been selected, with a maximum allocation of
€600,000 per project. This financial
contribution will make it possible to finance the costs of salaries, equipment
and running costs for 2 or 3 years.
Among the projects selected, one project co-piloted by
Jean-Philippe Deslys (SEPIA/CEA-Jacob), François Treussart (Laboratoire
Lumière, Matière et Interfaces, ENS Paris-Saclay) and Marco Mendoza
(SysFate/Genoscope/CEA-Jacob) uses an innovative approach: using cerebral
organoids, a kind of "mini-brain", 3-dimensional cellular structures,
to mimic human brains suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Using these organoids,
the researchers aim to study the changes in brain function that precede or
coincide with the aggregation and propagation of the proteins involved in the
development of the disease. Their study, which combines genetic analysis and
exploration of neuronal activity in space and at different stages of maturity,
will make it possible to identify new fundamental mechanisms at the origin of
Alzheimer's disease.
To find out more about the 'cerebral organoids' study model,
find our online news:
"Mini-brains" for research on Alzheimer's disease
Combining genetic engineering and stem cells to obtain tailormade "mini-brains
More about FRM