Adult Stem cells for Brain Protection and Repair in Parkinson's Disease.
Numerous clinical trials have shown that neurons can be transplanted into the Parkinson’s diseased brain to replace the dopamine neurons that have died as a result of the disease process. However, to date, there is no established source of neurons that can be used for widespread application of this therapy. This project is investigating stem cells extracted from the bone marrow as a potential cell source for brain repair and/or protection.
BrainMatTrain: Development of Biomaterial-based Delivery Systems for Parkinson’s Disease - An Integrated Pan-European Approach.
BrainMatTrain focuses on a comprehensive understanding of Parkinson’s disease, from basics to translation, fully supported by eight full partners (four research institutions, two hospitals, two SMEs) and one partner organisation (SME specialist in device design). This European Training Network will educate and train 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) in functionalised biomaterials, materials science, functionalisation strategies, molecular biology, stem cell biology, in vitro model systems, in vivo neuroimaging, preclinical models and prototype design.
Connected HEalth Supporting Home Stay with Dementia (CHESS).
The aim is to evaluate the utility of a Connected Health model in supporting people with dementia and their carergivers in sustaining the patient at home. We propose that the CH model allows enhanced information- sharing between patient, carergiver and healthcare team, enabling streamlined clinical management, empowering the caregiver and enhancing the ability of the caregiver/patient dyad to cope.
Investigation of Early Stage Changes in Memory Brain Networks in Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease.
Increased knowledge about the pre-clinical and early clinical stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) will be key in developing preventative strategies for the disease as well as development of therapeutic treatment strategies. In addition, this approach will contribute to the development of biomarkers for the early diagnosis of AD.
Putting the Brakes on Alzheimer's Disease: Exercise and its Effects on Cognitive Decline, Neurogenesis and Inflammation in the APP/PS-1 Mouse.
The overall aim of this research is to examine the effect of regular exercise on:
1) Adult hippocampal neurogenesis
2) Cognitive performance in hippocampus-dependent memory tasks
3) Microglial activation and neuroinflammatory profile using the transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease [amyloid precursor protein (APP)SWE/presenilin-1 (PS-1)].
Hello Brain - Carer's resources
Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia can be a very positive and rewarding experience, but it can also leave the carer feeling stressed and isolated. This module is designed to advise carers how the stressful aspects of caring can be minimised and the positive experiences maximised by looking after their social and emotional needs and by managing how they respond to challenging behaviours.