NEUBOrg: Artificially Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Brain Organoid to Model and Study Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease Progression

• Main Authors: Sally Esmail, Wayne R. Danter
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-02-01
• Series: Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
• Subjects: Alzhimer’s disease; brain organoids; stem cell-derived brain organoids; machine learning; genetic risk factor; drug discovery
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2021.643889/full

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of neurodegenerative diseases. There are over 44 million people living with the disease worldwide. While there are currently no effective treatments for AD, induced pluripotent stem cell-derived brain organoids have the potential to provide a better understanding of Alzheimer’s pathogenesis. Nevertheless, developing brain organoid models is expensive, time consuming and often does not reflect disease progression. Using accurate and inexpensive computer simulations of human brain organoids can overcome the current limitations. Induced whole brain organoids (aiWBO) will greatly expand our ability to model AD and can guide wet lab research. In this study, we have successfully developed and validated artificially induced a whole brain organoid platform (NEUBOrg) using our previously validated machine learning platform, DeepNEU (v6.1). Using NEUBorg platform, we have generated aiWBO simulations of AD and provided a novel approach to test genetic risk factors associated with AD progression and pathogenesis.