Nanodisc bioassay for alzheimer's drug screening
An innovative nanodisc-based bioassay that mimics Alzheimer's brain lipid composition to facilitate drug screening for secretase inhibitors, aiming to improve therapeutic target discovery and enhance Alzheimer's treatment development.
Overview
The proposed solution is a nanodisc-based bioassay designed to model dysfunctional Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) interactions in Alzheimer’s disease. By providing a physiologically relevant model, this system enables precise control over lipid composition, closely mimicking Alzheimer’s brain conditions. This approach aims to improve drug screening processes, specifically targeting secretases involved in APP processing and Aβ peptide production. This could lead to the discovery of more effective therapeutic targets and drug candidates for Alzheimer's disease.
Technical specifications
- Nanodisc Structure: Utilizes nanoscale lipid bilayers to replicate the cellular membrane environment where APP processing occurs.
- Lipid Composition Control: Allows precise mimicry of Alzheimer’s brain lipid composition, crucial for studying membrane-dependent pathology.
- Drug Screening Capability: High-throughput screening for compounds that inhibit secretases, potentially modulating APP processing and Aβ production.
- Assay Techniques: Incorporates multi-level fluorescence-based assays, bilayer interferometry, and surface plasmon resonance to measure APP processing and Aβ production.
Technology readiness level
This technology is currently at TRL 4, indicating that it has been validated in a lab setting. The next steps include further validation using APP isolated from cortical neurons and testing with known and novel secretase inhibitors to enhance the drug discovery process.
About Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology is a large, technology‑focused public research university in Atlanta with a strong applied research culture. Industry engages through the Georgia Tech Research Institute for contract R&D, a Midtown innovation district with co‑located corporate labs, and a statewide manufacturing extension to support scale‑up. A long‑standing partnership with a major academic medical center enables clinical translation, and a large co‑op program delivers a steady talent pipeline. Research is backed by competitive federal funding from NSF, NIH, DOE, DoD, and NASA. Technology commercialization is managed by the Georgia Tech Research Corporation, with dedicated licensing, corporate contracting, and startup support.
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