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UK Scientists Grow A Living Human 'Brain'
19:59
Scientists in Birmingham have grown a living human 'brain'.
pic: www.VJHIVE.com
Scientists hope to gain a greater understanding of the brain (Pic: www.VJHIVE.com)
The team at Aston University created tiny bundles of cells which act like a mini nervous system.
They believe it could help find a cure for degenerative conditions like Alzheimer's, motor neurone or Parkinson's disease.
Professor Michael Coleman is leading the research.
He explained: "We are aiming to be able to study the human brain at the most basic level, using an actual living human cellular system.
"Cells have to be alive and operating efficiently to enable us to really understand how the brain works."
The experiment involves altering cells from a cancer tumour and making them behave like brain cells.
Although far from finished, scientists hope the fake brain cells will give them a greater understanding of how real brains work.
This, in turn, could significantly further research into conditions which affect the brain.
Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "It is still very early days, but in the future this interesting research could lead to a useful tool for investigating dementia."
The technique could also provide an alternative to animal testing and is being supported and funded by the Humane Research Trust.
Over the next ten years a million people will develop dementia, but campaigners say research into the disease is hugely under-funded.
Current treatments cause unpleasant side-effects and do not halt the progression of conditions.
Professor Coleman believes his findings could change this.
He said: "We hope our technique will provide scientists with a new and highly relevant human experimental model to help us understand the brain better and develop new drugs and treatments to tackle neurodegenerative disease."