Munich researchers build 3D brain model to speed Alzheimer’s drug tests

Researchers in Munich have developed a novel three-dimensional tissue model of human brain tissue that accurately replicates key interactions in Alzheimer's disease, potentially accelerating drug development. The findings were published in Nature Neuroscience. The model, developed over nine years by Dominik Paquet's team at LMU University Hospital, uses human stem cells converted into neurons, astrocytes, and microglial cells. These form self-organizing spheroids with functional synapses and active immune cells, reproducing essential disease-related genes and proteins. The system is reproducible and modifiable, allowing researchers to induce Alzheimer's amyloid aggregates and dissolve them with existing drugs. The team is now automating production with robots to enable large-scale testing of new substances for industrial drug development.