A study coordinated by Malin Parmar at the University of Lund has developed  a new method to convert human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) into functioning brain cells. Researchers say that the technique is twice as fast to perform as previous methods and reduces the risk of tumour formation, one of the most common obstacles in stem cell transplantations.

Last week, 12-18 March 2012, was Brain Awareness Week, the Dana Foundation's global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research. As a fair amount of the stem cell research we cover is brain-related, we decided to get involved in this celebration of all things brain-related with a week of brain-centric links, images, videos, Q&A and more.

A study coordinated by Lorenz Studer, a NEUROSTEMCELL principal investigator, has developed a new strategy for the efficient transformation of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) into dopamine-producing neurons. The neurons can be implanted into animals where they show “robust performance” by forming new connections and achieving long-term survival. The result is a significant progress in the use of PSCs and may help to develop new therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. The work is published in the journal Nature.

The degeneration of dopamine-producing (dopaminergic, in jargon) neurons is the main event behind the onset of Parkinson disease. One goal of NEUROSTEMCELL is to use PSCs to produce dopaminergic neurons that may be transplanted in patients affected by Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative disorders.

The discovery that adult cells could be ‘reprogrammed’ and converted into stem cells caused a great deal of excitement among scientists. There are high hopes that this new technology will help us study, understand and eventually treat disease. But researchers still face a number of challenges, as shown by several recent studies.