Understanding the impact of immune cells and glia

Summary

MND is a highly variable between people, both in how the symptoms first appear and how quickly it progresses. Many factors are thought to influence the rate of disease progression, including complex interactions between cells of the immune system, neuronal and non-neuronal (or “glia”) cells. This research project will explore how immune cells and glia in the spinal cord communicate with each other and with motor neurons and how this process contributes to the progression of MND. 

By studying tissues kindly donated by people who died of MND, using cutting-edge single cell and spatial sequencing technologies, the team will create a detailed map of cell types in the spinal cord. They will analyse blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from people living with MND to identify biomarkers that can predict disease progression, linking these results to the cell maps. Finally, using advanced stem cell technology, they will recreate these cell interactions in a dish to pinpoint the factors driving MND and influencing how fast the disease progresses.

Why this research is important

We hope that understanding how immune cells, glia and motor neurons in the spinal cord interact will lead to the identification of new targets for MND treatments. By identifying specific biomarkers in blood and spinal fluid, we may also be able to predict disease progression more accurately. To find more about the use of stem cells in MND research, see our infographic.