Viennese researchers awarded: revolutionary brain organoid instead of animal experiments!

Viennese researchers awarded: revolutionary brain organoid instead of animal experiments!

Wien, Österreich - A Viennese research team around biologist Jürgen Knoblich was awarded the state prize to promote replacement methods for animal experiments. This recognition, which is endowed with 10,000 euros, received the team, which belongs to the Institute for Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) in Vienna, due to their groundbreaking work on brain organoids. The results were published in the “Cell Stem Cell” journal and are based on clinical data and research work that was carried out without animal experiments. The aim of this research is to reduce unnecessary animal testing in the development of medication, especially when it comes to neurological diseases that often meet research.

The IMBA team bred brain tissue in the laboratory to precisely research diseases. In many brain diseases, medication often only fails in late development phases, which leads to a large number of animal experiments. This process could be revolutionized by using brain organoids. The researchers have obtained stem cells from blood cells from two patients with a specific change in genetic material in the Arid1b gene, which means that the connection of the halves of the brain is affected. From this, three -dimensional brain organoids were bred, which act through nervous connections. While healthy organoids are linked by numerous nerve processes (axons), the organoids show a reduced formation of these compounds with mutations.

results of research

The discoveries of the researchers are significant because they have found that certain genes are less active in the mutated nerve cells that are important for the maturation of the neurons and the formation of axons. These findings provide new starting points for research on gene therapies for affected patients. Science Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner emphasized the importance of scientific excellence and responsibility in research and underlined the potential of the methods developed.

Research with brain organoids could be a fundamental change in medical science. These organoids are bred in the laboratory, but have the option of being transplanted in living organisms such as rats, which can influence their behavior. The Leopoldina, a German Academy of Sciences, has recently extensively discussed research on brain organoids and points to the challenges associated with the interaction of these organoids with other body functions. Even if great progress has been made, there is still a significant distance from human awareness or sensitivity.

ethical considerations

The creation of chimeras, i.e. organisms with cells of different genetic equipment, raises medical-ethical questions, especially when it comes to human-animal connections. The Leopoldina warns of the concerns of the population for research with brain organoids and calls for a serious discussion about the ethical implications of these technologies. A possible need for the establishment of special ethics commissions to regulate this research is also considered.