CEDOC and ITQB/iBET joint research project distinguished
Oeiras, 30.03.2015
A collaborative project between ITQB/iBET and NOVA Medical School is the winner of the 8th edition of Prémio de Investigação Colaborativa Santander Totta Universidade Nova de Lisboa in the area of life sciences. The project entitled “Recapitulating late-onset Alzheimer’s disease in a three dimensional human neural cell model” is coordinated by Cláudia Almeida from CEDOC and involves Catarina Brito from the Animal Cell Technology Unit.
Catarina Brito, from the Animal Cell Technology Unit, conducts her research in the area of new cellular models of disease, including models of the human central nervous system derived from stem cells. The ITQB/iBET team has been developing three-dimensional cellular models (3D) in order to recapitulate in the lab characteristics of neural tissue in terms of structure, function, and tissue environment. In the project now awarded, researchers will apply these strategies to stem cells previously modified by genetic factors to recapitulate Alzheimer’s disease (Laboratory of Claudia Almeida). The hypothesis is that by using these cells to generate 3D models it is possible to recreate, for the first time in a laboratory environment, the pathological aspects present in neural tissues of Alzheimer's patients and thus create a new experimental model of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
The prize, with a monetary value of 25.000 euros, aims to distinguish collaborative projects within Universidade NOVA in the areas of Life Sciences, Social Sciences, and Exact Sciences and Engineering. This year the Prémio de Investigação Colaborativa Santander Totta Universidade Nova de Lisboa was dedicated to life sciences. The award ceremony will take place on April 22 at the Rectory of Universidade NOVA.
