A preclinical research platform for Alzheimer's disease in the eye. (SAO-FRA 2019/0003)

While Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease worldwide and despite decades of research, there is currently no therapy for it. Reasons for this treatment gap include the incomplete understanding of the complexity of pathological processes that underlie Alzheimer's disease, and the many hurdles between drug discovery and approval. In this project, we aim to address these needs via Alzheimer's research in the eye. Indeed, the eye can be considered "a window to the brain" and offers unique possibilities to study and diagnose disease processes in the central nervous system. We will develop a technological platform that combines imaging, electrophysiology and behavior analysis in mice, and use this platform for both fundamental research into the disease mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease and preclinical research to evaluate novel drugs.