A brain organoid–chip platform to speed drug discovery for brain diseases
Official title: A novel organoid brain-chip platform for accelerating drug discovery.
Funded at Leaflabs, LLC · NIH-11408487 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new brain organoid–chip platform is being developed to help test drugs faster for brain conditions like Alzheimer's and autism.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Leaflabs, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $499,971 |
| NIH project number | 1R44AA033838-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11408487 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, autism spectrum disorders, or stroke may indirectly benefit as therapies advance.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy volunteers or individuals without CNS disorders are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a brain organoid–on-a-chip system that is more human-relevant than traditional cell cultures. It will address technical variability and help researchers study brain cell networks over time. The goal is to provide a scalable, faster way to screen potential therapies before human trials. If successful, this could shorten development timelines and reduce costly late-stage failures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from faster access to more effective brain disease treatments.
How similar studies have gone: There is active progress in organoid and microfluidic approaches, but standardization and maturation remain challenging; this work aims to overcome those barriers.
Where this research is happening
-
Leaflabs, LLC
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sherwood, John L — Leaflabs, LLC
- Study coordinator: Sherwood, John L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.