Understanding ALS: A New Research Project Using Organoids and Molecular Mapping

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disease that still has no cure, progressively affecting the nerve cells responsible for movement. People living with ALS experience a gradual loss of vital functions such as walking, speaking, swallowing, and breathing. Despite advances in research, many questions remain about how the disease begins and the mechanisms driving its progression.

To address this challenge, researchers at the “Centro Dino Ferrari” are developing an innovative approach: creating three-dimensional laboratory models, called organoids, of the brain, spinal cord, and muscle, derived from cells donated by ALS patients. By connecting these “mini-organs,” it will be possible to reconstruct in vitro communication between the nervous system and muscles, opening new avenues to observe and understand disease mechanisms in a controlled environment.