The new approach using graphene technology may aid neurodegenerative disease research, modeling age-related conditions.
Researchers from the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute have developed what they believe is a safe, non-genetic way to speed brain organoid (stem cell-derived models of the human brain) growth, which may unlock insights into neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Published Aug 20 in Nature Communications, the study introduces Graphene-Mediated Optical Stimulation (GraMOS), a biocompatible, non-damaging way to influence neural activity over days to weeks, accelerating brain organoid development, which is important for modeling age-related conditions.
The novel approach uses graphene, a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon, in a “game-changer for brain research,” Alysson Muotri, corresponding author and professor of pediatrics, said in a press release.
“We can now speed up brain organoid maturation without altering their genetic code, opening doors for disease research, brain–machine interfaces and other systems combining living brain cells with technology.”
Brain organoids are valuable for studying neurological diseases but mature slowly, limiting their usefulness for conditions that develop over decades. GraMOS works to mimic the environmental input real brains receive, driving development without invasive techniques.
The study’s findings indicate researchers may be able to study disease progression sooner and in a more physiologically relevant context, which could improve drug testing timelines.
