German researchers make Alzheimer's breakthrough
German researchers have made a breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research, claiming to have discovered how to block protein deposits in the brain commonly associated with the disease, says Deutsche Welle.
Hans-Ulrich Demuth and his team at a small biotech firm in eastern Germany found that an enzyme called Glutaminyl Cyclase (QC) was responsible for an extremely small, but extremely harmful part of the deposits.
The researchers then devised a method they believed would block its function in lab mice, where they found the protein deposits were reduced by up to 80 per cent.
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the main health policy priorities of the French presidency of the EU.
Related Forums
Related News
Further Reading
The Parliament Magazine
Issue 279 | 8th December 2008Letter from AmericaAmerica's EU ambassador Kristen Silverberg advocates a spirit of transatlantic community
Regional Review
Issue 11 | December 2008Regional championsCoR president Luc Van den Brande waxes lyrical on this year’s Regional Champions awards
Research Review
Issue 7 | November 2008Spin doctorNobel prizewinner Peter A. Grunberg on GMR and its spin-off, spintronics

