I-Corps: Accelerating discovery research into neural-stem-cell-driven tissue regrowth through modeling and simulation

Northeastern University, Boston MA

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to define the requirements of modeling and simulation platforms for drug development and/or intervention strategies used in tissue repair. These strategies may be more predictive and efficient than currently available through application of experimental approaches. Ultimately, the goal for this tool is to make possible regeneration of neural tissue lost to traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or stroke. Reaching this goal may transform the lives of millions of patients and their families while also substantially reducing the financial burdens to society. The translation will offer the platform as a service tailored to the needs of scientists in preclinical (discovery) research departments of pharmaceutical and biotech companies. By providing domain expertise in the modeling of stem-cell-driven tissue regeneration, clients will be enabled to narrow down the range of potentially effective compounds or intervention strategies to those treatments with the highest probability to succeed. This strategy could accelerate the discovery process, while reducing the costs and time involved in research and development. This I-Corps project is based on advancing the development of mathematical and computational models for a drug discovery platform aimed at neural tissue repair. Informed by comprehensive cell-biological data sets, these models simulate the dynamics of stem cell-driven tissue growth during the normal development of the brain and spinal cord. In addition, the models simulate the regenerative response of the central nervous system after traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and stroke. In recent years, promising therapeutic strategies have been developed to promote tissue regrowth, including activation of adult neural stem cells intrinsic to the patient’s central nervous system, and the transplantation of extrinsic neural stem cells to the site of cell loss. The selection and design of tests for development of such intervention strategies is currently based on “trial and error.” However, due to the complexity of biological factors and processes involved in successful structural regeneration and functional recovery, this approach consumes considerable resources and curtails progress in the discovery of effective treatment strategies. This process may be streamlined by employing modeling and simulations. Such a strategy may help scientists to select the most meaningful experiments, thereby reducing time and costs associated with lab work, while at the same time raising the quality of the research. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.