Mini brain blood-vessel chip (OASIS) for Parkinson's
High-throughput neurovascular-unit-on-a-chip with OASIS for modeling Parkinson's disease
['FUNDING_R01'] · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · NIH-11326177
This project builds a tiny lab chip using patient-derived brain and blood-vessel cells to show how Parkinson's develops and how treatments might work for people with the disease.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11326177 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Your skin or blood cells can be turned into stem cells and then grown into midbrain dopamine neurons and blood-brain barrier cells that are placed together on a tiny microfluidic device called OASIS. This 3-D chip recreates the neurovascular environment so it behaves more like a human brain than standard flat cell dishes. Researchers will introduce Parkinson's-related alpha-synuclein changes and use automated imaging to watch how the cells and the barrier change over time. The platform is built to run many tests quickly so promising drug candidates can be screened before moving to patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people with Parkinson's who are willing to donate blood or skin samples so researchers can make patient-specific stem cells for the chip.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment effects will not receive direct clinical benefit from this lab-based research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could speed up discovery of treatments that protect dopamine neurons and improve how drugs reach the brain in Parkinson's disease.
How similar studies have performed: Patient-derived stem cell models and organ-on-a-chip systems have shown promise for neurological research, but a high-throughput neurovascular chip focused on Parkinson's is still an emerging approach.
Where this research is happening
BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES
- JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY — BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: KIM, DEOK-HO — JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: KIM, DEOK-HO
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 below.