FORNEUROCELL

BAVARIAN RESEARCH NETWORK FOR ADULT NEURAL STEM CELLS

The association

The research network ForNeuroCell aims to develop a regenerative cell replacement therapy for acute and chronic diseases of the nervous system on the basis of adult stem cells and take it towards clinical implementation. During the past years, it has become increasingly evident that next to neuroprotection, meaning the strategy of protecting damaged cells from dying off, the regenerative cell replacement therapy is the treatment approach with the greatest potential for the most and the most common afflictions of the brain (trauma, apoplexy, neurodegenerative diseases). The concept of the network are two parallel strategies a) Modulation and increase of endogenous neurogensis b) ex vivo generation and transplantation of adult human stem cells ForNeuroCell aims at advancing basic research on and biotechnological development of adult stem cells of the nervous system in order to achieve recovery of damage to the nervous system by (1) external administration (transplantation) of native adult stem cells, (2) fortification of the present stem cells and (3) mobilization and targeted programming or reprogramming of stem cells already present in the patient. Another thematic focus of the research network is the desperately required development of imaging techniques for the detection of endogenous as well as transplanted stem cells in the living organism. ForNeuroCell represents a network of 8 projects based at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, the LMU and the TU in Munich, the University of Regensburg, the University of Würzburg and the GSF. This consortium is highly suitable for working on the questions posed by the research network, as the following technological resources are well established there: a) state-of-the-art molecular biology b) innovative cell biology c) pre-clinical animal models and testing d) current imaging technology e) availability and usability of human probes.