Scientists investigate nano-medicine to fight Alzheimer’s
Aim to use nanoparticles to destroy amyloid deposits that characterise the illness
Scientists in a €14.6m research project are to unveil progress at a nanotechnology conference taking place from 1–3 June in Budapest, Hungary on their goal of using nano-medicine to fight Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers in the NAD Project have tried to make a virtue out of the environmental concern that nanoparticles can breach the blood-brain barrier. Its scientists – from Italy, Britain, France, Sweden, Greece, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Finland, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Denmark – aim to direct nanoparticles into the brain with positive effect.
Their goal is to use nanoparticles to deliver molecules that can recognise and destroy ‘amyloid’ deposits characteristic of the illness, using their tiny size to penetrate areas of the brain standard particles cannot reach.
‘If the expectations of the research are attained, future experiments can be performed on humans. The results can have an enormous impact on the early diagnosis and therapy, the researchers said.
The project is being coordinated by Italy’s University of Milano-Bicocca.