Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have developed a new technology that enables tracking the movement, aggregation, and interactions of proteins within live neurons, which may help understand mechanisms associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and accelerate the search for potential treatments.
Molecular-level monitoring
The University of Queensland stated on its website on Monday that the technology, known as "NASTIC," allows monitoring of protein behavior at the single-molecule level, enabling researchers to observe changes occurring within neurons and study their role in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
Evaluating drug compounds
The technology also helps evaluate the impact of potential drug compounds on protein behavior within live cells, allowing for comparison of their effects and identification of promising compounds for further study, and directing research toward biological pathways associated with these diseases.
From research to application
The university noted that the technology is the result of research spanning more than two decades at the Queensland Brain Institute, before transitioning to the commercial application stage through a specialized biotechnology company, with the aim of making it available for use in drug discovery programs in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies.
The technology is expected to provide a research tool for studying protein interactions with greater precision and identifying potential drug targets, although its role in developing effective treatments for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's requires further research and scientific evaluations.
Alzheimer's disease is one of the neurodegenerative diseases that gradually affects memory, thinking, and cognitive abilities, and is the most common cause of dementia, while Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement, associated with the decline of dopamine-producing neurons, leading to symptoms including slowed movement, limb tremors, and muscle stiffness.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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