Motor Neurone Disease: New Stem Cell Research Could Make Lab Mice Redundant

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Motor Neurone Disease: New Stem Cell Research Could Make Lab Mice Redundant

05 Aug 2009

Researchers from the University of Bath are embarking on a project to use stem

cell technology that could reduce the number of animal experiments used to study

conditions such as motor neurone disease.

Dr Vasanta Subramanian, from the University's Department of Biology &

Biochemistry, will be developing a technique using human stem cells to study

this debilitating neurological disease, greatly reducing the number of animals

used in research.

Stem cells are the precursor cells that are able to develop into more

specialised cells and tissues such as neurones or skin cells.

Whilst previously most stem cells were derived from embryos, this new research

project will instead use Induced Pluripotent Stem cells (iPS cells) which are

made from skin cells from adults.

Dr Subramanian has been awarded a major three year grant by the National Centre

for Replacement, Refinement & Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) to study

ALS, a form of motor neurone disease in which the nerve cells that control the

muscles die.

This currently incurable condition causes patients to lose movement in muscles,

affecting breathing and eventually causing death.

Dr Subramanian will be making iPS cells from the skin cells of patients

suffering from ALS to study the genes that are thought to cause the disease.

She said: " These are exciting times for stem cell research and there is

tremendous potential in the iPS cell technology both for medical applications

and in basic biology.

" This technology will not only help understand the mechanisms underlying the

disease, but will also reduce the numbers of animals used in research.

" There is a real need to develop alternative methods for studying these diseases

that are more robust and better simulate how the disease develops in humans. "

The grant will fund a teaching replacement for Dr Subramanian, allowing her to

focus on her research, and a research assistant to work on the project. It will

also fund a state-of-the-art high power microscope that will allow the

researchers to observe the movements and growth of neurones in real time.

The project is one of 13 receiving a share of a £4.5 million fund from the

NC3Rs.

Dr Vicky , chief executive of the NC3Rs, said: " If we are to reduce

animal use and at the same time continue to develop new treatments for diseases

then we must engage the best minds and harness the best science and technology

in this endeavour.

" That is what we are doing with the £4.5 million in 13 new research projects

that the NC3Rs is investing in. We are really pleased to be giving grants to

scientists who are trying to develop treatments in major areas of concern such

as cancer, motor neurone disease and Alzheimer's disease.

" If they can do this, and reduce their reliance on animal use then this has to

be good news. "

Source:

Vicky Just

University of Bath

Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159867.php