The Alper Center for Neural Development and Regeneration

Research

The Alper Center strives to develop an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to understanding the mechanisms that drive neural development and to translate this knowledge into improved strategies for preventing, diagnosing, and treating neurological diseases. Our research spans basic and clinical studies of the nervous system and its disease states, focusing on understanding the role of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors in influencing the development and regeneration of neurons.

The scientists at the center conduct research using cell cultures, animals, and human tissues to gain insights into the development and function of the nervous system. Our goal is to use this knowledge to create next-generation therapies and ultimately find cures or develop effective treatments for disorders such as autism, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injury. Our work is highly collaborative and involves experts from fields such as developmental biology, neuroscience, genetics, imaging, biochemistry, bioengineering, and medicine.

The Alper Center is committed to advancing our understanding of the causes and treatments of neurological disorders and improving outcomes for patients. Scientists are searching for commonalities that could enable them to develop therapeutic interventions that could potentially benefit multiple conditions. They are using innovative approaches to identify such multi-faceted solutions and are also leveraging their expertise in regenerative and personalized medicine.

There are four major research areas of emphasis at the center:

The center comprises a growing group of productive lab-based developmental neuroscientists and stem cell biologists who have established successful research programs and collaborations in neurodevelopment and neural developmental disorders (NDD). These investigators have diverse areas of expertise and research interests, but their work as a whole focuses on childhood brain disorders, from the early stages of brain and nervous system development to postnatal stages involving the formation of neuronal connections and the development of myelin insulation. In addition to their traditional research methods, the investigators at the center are also using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) for the study of predisposition to neurodevelopmental diseases. They have established new platforms by which to systematically test the impact of causal variants in human cells and make observations that would not be possible using other methods, further advancing our understanding of these complex disorders.

As the global population is living longer, neurodegenerative disorders are becoming more common at an alarming rate. Effective treatments for these conditions are urgently needed.

Therefore, researchers at the Alper Center have a strong focus on neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), age-related macular degeneration and multiple sclerosis.

Neural stem cells are a type of stem cell that have the ability to differentiate into the various types of cells found in the nervous system, such as neurons and glia. This unique ability makes them a valuable tool for studying the development of the nervous system and the underlying causes of neurological disorders. Our researchers work on understanding how these cells function, how they are affected by disease conditions, and how they can be manipulated to repair or replace damaged or diseased tissue in the nervous system. This work has the potential to lead to new treatments for conditions such as spinal cord injury, neurodegenerative diseases, and brain tumors. Research on neural stem cells and regeneration is an active and rapidly advancing field with the potential to provide new and effective treatments for a wide range of neurological disorders.

One area of research our scientists are conducting involves using genomic tools to study the role of brain stem cells in the formation of brain tumors and identifying the environmental factors that may contribute to tumor formation. In addition, we are exploring the use of brain stem cells as a tool for studying the underlying mechanisms of brain tumor development and testing the effectiveness of potential treatments. By studying these cells and their interactions with their environment, we hope to gain new insights into the causes of brain tumors and develop more effective treatments for these diseases.