Tune Pers

Translating Neuroscience into Next-Generation Treatments

Applicant

Tune H Pers

Project description

This project aims to accelerate the discovery of new treatments for obesity and metabolic diseases by using advanced human stem cell-derived brain models and human genetics data.

Central nervous system-controlled regulation of appetite and metabolism plays a major role in obesity and other metabolic disorders, and it is the target of major weight-lowering drugs. However, most drug development in this field relies on animal models, which often fail to reflect human biology – making the process slow, expensive, and unpredictable. We focus on the hypothalamus, a key brain region that regulates appetite, metabolism, and sleep.

By combining human stem cell models of the hypothalamus with cutting-edge screening technologies and genetic insights, we offer a more accurate and efficient way to identify new drug targets. This gives pharmaceutical companies better tools to develop therapies that are more likely to work in humans from the start.

With obesity-related healthcare costs exceeding $1 trillion globally each year, our platform has the potential to speed up drug development, lower costs, and ultimately improve the lives of millions of people.

Institution

Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Basic Metabolic Research

SPARK information

Tune and his team were accepted as part of cohort 5.