Dr. Matthias Jung and his team from the University Medical Center Halle (Saale) took 2nd place in the category “Most innovative basic research projects” at the “Hugo Junkers Prize for Research and Innovation from Saxony-Anhalt” in the 2020 competition year. The team received an award for the “ScreenHub: Personalized / Alzheimer’s-specific blood-brain barrier model for target or drug screening” project. The placement is endowed with 7,000 euros. Five projects were nominated in this category.
“My team and I are very pleased that our work has been recognized. The projects of the co-nominees were all very good and the competition was accordingly strong. We also warmly congratulate the other award winners ”, says Dr. Matthias Jung, scientist at the University Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics at the University Medical Center Halle (Saale).
The Halle University Medical Center project is a new model for a blood-brain barrier. The blood-brain barrier is an important barrier through which harmful substances are normally transported away in a targeted manner. When a person suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, the so-called blood-brain barrier in the brain becomes more permeable and also lets through substances that can accelerate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our model represents a technological advance compared to previous models, because it is a real, functional blood-brain barrier. On the one hand, we can make the process of increasing permeability visible under the microscope and, on the other hand, use mass spectrometry to show whether a substance is actively being transported or not. We are thus offering a realistic option that is meaningful for many patients in order to personalize therapies without having to work directly on the patient, ”says Jung.
The Ministry of Economics, Science and Digitization of the State of Saxony-Anhalt has been awarding the innovation prize for almost 30 years. The “Hugo Junkers Prize for Research and Innovation from Saxony-Anhalt” is intended to honor the performance of innovative entrepreneurs and scientists and to support their work. The competition is endowed with a total of 80,000 euros.
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