Modeling mosaicism in focal cortical dysplasia using cortical organoids

• Grant number: 19/09090-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2019
• End date: August 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Agreement: University of California San Diego
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal Investigator: Iscia Teresinha Lopes Cendes
• Grantee: Iscia Teresinha Lopes Cendes
• Principal researcher abroad: Alysson Renato Muotri
• Institution abroad: Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, United States
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Andre Schwambach Vieira ; Fábio Rogério ; Simoni Helena Avansini
• Associated research grant: 13/07559-3 - BRAINN - The Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Focal Cortical Dysplasia (FCD) represents the most prevalent cause of severe drug-resistant epilepsy in children. Despite the considerable progress in FCD diagnosis and surgical therapy, treatment of these patients remains a challenge. Our goal is to establish a human in vitro model of FCD using cortical organoids to recapitulate brain somatic mosaicism in FCD and to have a reliable model, mimicking as much as possible the background genetic finding in the FCD patients, to screen novel anti-epileptic drugs. (AU)