Alzheimer Nederland grant for Amalia Dolga

Prof. Amalia Dolga (GRIP) has been awarded an Alzheimer Nederland grant (250k). Amalia, together with Dr. Marina Trombetta-Lima (GRIP) and Prof. Wilfred den Dunnen (UMCG), aims to restore microglial function in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) models, and to propose new therapeutical avenues for AD pathology, by targeting metabolic reprogramming through pharmacological intervention.

To date, there is no cure for AD, and microglial function has been shown to be impaired, compromising the microglia’s capacity to clean the brain and remove plaques. Recent findings from Amalia's lab show that microglial metabolic reprogramming occurs via species-specific metabolic pathways. In this project the researchers will use iPSC-differentiated microglia and neurons from AD patients and healthy subjects, as well as cortical brain organoids with integrated microglia, to mimic relevant spatiotemporal cell-cell interactions.