How do stem cells become brain cells?

Lead Investigator: Dr Virginie Sottile
Institution: University of Nottingham
Grant type: PhD
Duration: 3 years
Amount: £71,500

Scientific Title: Neuronal potential of bone marrow stem cells: Using a Sox1 reporter to identify pro-neural regulators in a novel in-vitro model.

What do we already know?

Stem cells are the simplest type of cell in the human body. They are able to transform into all other types of cells.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are easily accessible and can develop into brain cells.

Could MSCs form the basis of new therapies for repair of damage caused by neurological diseases?

What does this project involve?

Dr Virginie Sottile is supervising a PhD studentship into the biology of MSCs and and how they develop into brain cells.

This involves extracting MSCs from mice and analysing which genes are required to direct them to become brain cells.

This is an extension of the studies Dr Sottile is already doing as an Alzheimer's Society funded research fellow.

How will this benefit people with dementia?

This study could help develop treatments for neurodegenerative diseases based on the use of stem cells.

A great advantage of using MSCs is that they would not be rejected when transplanted back to treat the same patient they were taken from.

This work could have a resounding impact on the types of therapies available in the future.