Human dopaminergic neurons (LUHMES cells) as substitute for transgenic animal models in neurodegenerative disease and as platform to map pathways of toxicity

2011 - 2014

Main applicant:
Prof. Dr. Marcel Leist
Doerenkamp-Zbinden Chair for Alternative in vitro Methods
University of Konstanz, Germany

Co-applicant:
Dr. Stefan Schildknecht
University of Konstanz, Germany

Project description:
In the first funding phase, LUHMES cells have been developed by the DZ chair in Konstanz as new cell model, made broadly available to laboratories world-wide. The second phase of the project will now address new applied aspects with a focus on toxicity screening. More systems toxicology aspects will be characterized in the cells, such as the interaction between different stress response pathways. Transcriptomics, metabolomics and epigenetics methods will be used. Some endpoints will be compared to neurons generated directly from pluripotent stem cells.