Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie
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  5. Molecular & Behavioural Neurobiology
  6. Project Group Stem Cells

Project Group Stem Cells

Projektueberblick

Head: Dr. rer. nat. Sabrina Galinski

Research Interests: Stem cell-based cell systems from patients with psychiatric disorders

Psychiatric disorders are subject to highly complex gene regulation in which multiple hereditary risk factors and spontaneously altered sections of the genome probably interact to cause the disease. Genetic model systems with complete ‘construct validity’ can therefore only be derived from individual patients. The development of reprogramming technology for the production of so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from blood samples of adults, combined with protocols to differentiate neuronal cell systems, like complex 3D models, now offers this possibility. Our aim is to apply these ‘personalised cellular model systems’ and to determine a divergent molecular signature or individual disease profile, by using for example genetic reporter systems or electrophysiological measurements. In the next step, we plan to test approved agents or combinations of agents to bring the individual disease profile as close as possible to the reference profiles of healthy individuals. With this strategy we aim to identify new approaches for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

    • Takahashi K, Yamanaka S, Induction of pluripotent stem cells from mouse embryonic and adult fibroblast cultures by defined factors. Cell (2006) 126, 663-676.
    • Takahashi K et al., Induction of pluripotent stem cells from adult human fibroblasts by defined factors. Cell (2007) 131, 861-872.
    • Brennand KJ et al., Modeling schizophrenia using human induced pluripotent stem cells. Nature (2011) 473, 221–225.
    • Brennand KJ et al., Modeling psychiatric disorders at the cellular and network levels. Molecular Psychiatry (2012) 17, 1239–1253.
    • Lancaster MA et al., Cerebral organoids model human brain development and microcephaly. Nature (2013) 501(7467), 373–379.
    • Raabe FJ, Galinski S, Papiol S, Falkai PG, Schmitt A, Rossner MJ. Studying and modulating schizophrenia-associated dysfunctions of oligodendrocytes with patient-specific cell systems. NPJ Schizophr. (2018) 4(1).
    • Miura Y et al., Generation of human striatal organoids and cortico-striatal assembloids from human pluripotent stem cells. Nat Biotechnol. (2020) 38(12), 1421-1430.