12.11.2009
Search for a Cure
More than one hundred years ago, Alois Alzheimer described for the first time the disease that now bears his name. In spite of intense research, there is still no medication that can cure Alzheimer's. But the biologists working with Professor Haass at the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich are hot on the tracks of the disease—with the help of the zebra fish. As en embryo, this fish is transparent, thereby allowing researchers to observe developments and changes in a living organism. Will the zebra fish help scientists to understand Alzheimer’s? To project page
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Search for a Cure: Episode 06, 12/11/2009
A Long Road
What will help to stop cell death? The idea is to prevent the agglutination of the amyloid, or Tau, protein from occurring in the first place. There are already chemicals that should reduce the agglutination of the Tau protein: one of them is methylene blue. In the test tube it has already been proved that the substance can prevent Tau agglutinations. The researchers first have to find out whether this also works in an animal model: Both the healthy fishes and the Tau fishes are treated with different concentrations of methylene blue. Can this be used to reduce the number of dead cells?
11.11.2009
Coloured Fish
Success! Dominik’s fish are carrying the Alzheimer’s gene. But will they also develop the characteristic symptoms?
26.10.2009
Larvae Lights
How do you make an Alzheimer's fish? First, human DNA must be injected into the fish larvae—no easy task…
10.08.2009
More Than Just Pretty
Only the best for the little one: what do zebra fish need in order to lay as many of the much sought-after eggs as possible?
13.07.2009
The Nerve Killer
Amyloid – a protein which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Everyone has it in their body, but not everyone develops the disease. But why?
30.06.2009
A Look Into the Brain
Alzheimer's: no longer knowing where you are, who you are or what you were going to do... To find an agent that counters this most frequent form of dementia, the researchers have bred thousands of zebra fish.
The Projects
Everything about wave hunters, discrete optimisers and love à la Darwin—here, you'll experience what lies behind the individual projects as you follow the research diaries and get to know the scientists.
Function through Diversity
Pioneering work in China: The largest ever forest experiment on biodiversity
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