Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Awards Jeffrey L. Morby Prize for Pioneering Research
TL;DR
The Jeffrey L. Morby Prize awards $200,000 to researchers advancing Alzheimer's understanding, offering a competitive edge in neurodegenerative disease research.
Drs. Yoo and Sun developed a method to model Alzheimer's neuropathology by converting skin cells into aged neurons, enabling precise study of disease mechanisms.
This research paves the way for better Alzheimer's treatments, improving lives by deepening our understanding of neurodegeneration and aging.
A novel technique transforms skin cells into neurons to study Alzheimer's, revealing how aging affects brain health and disease progression.
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The Cure Alzheimer’s Fund has announced Dr. Andrew S. Yoo and Dr. Zhao Sun as the recipients of the second annual Jeffrey L. Morby Prize for their significant contributions to Alzheimer’s disease research. Their work, published in Science, introduces a novel method to study aged neurons in the lab, bypassing the need for brain biopsies and enabling more accurate modeling of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
This research is pivotal as it allows scientists to observe key disease features, such as amyloid beta plaque buildup, by transforming skin cells from patients directly into neurons that reflect the aging process. This breakthrough provides new insights into the development of Alzheimer’s disease and opens up potential avenues for treatment. The Morby Prize, named in honor of the late co-founder of Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, Jeffrey L. Morby, includes a $200,000 award to support further Alzheimer’s disease-related research in Dr. Yoo’s lab.
The implications of this research are profound, offering a new tool to dissect how aging, the primary risk factor for Alzheimer’s, contributes to neurodegeneration. Dr. Yoo expressed enthusiasm about the potential to investigate neuron-intrinsic aging mechanisms across different neuronal subtypes, which could lead to targeted treatments. The recognition of this work by peers underscores its importance in the ongoing battle against Alzheimer’s disease, a condition affecting millions worldwide.
Curated from News Direct
