Fondation Dr Corinne Schuler is supporting Alzheimer’s research
Fondation Dr Corinne Schuler is supporting the Alzheimer’s research conducted by Professor Michael Detmar at ETH Zurich’s Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
© Group of Prof. Michael Detmar
© Group of Prof. Michael Detmar
Alzheimer’s is still an incurable disease. There are currently around 130,000 people living with dementia in Switzerland, and the number is on the rise. This is not only very distressing for those affected and their family and friends, it also poses major challenges for the healthcare system. Effective treatments are thus required.
Michael Detmar is pursuing a novel approach. His work focuses on the lymphatic vessels, through which the brain removes its “waste”.
As is the case with many bodily functions, this cleaning system becomes less effective in old age, and could therefore play a significant role in the development of Alzheimer’s.
Through their work, Michael Detmar and his team have discovered two active agents that could potentially increase the lymphatic vessels’ ability to function. In their ongoing studies, the team are investigating how these active agents can best be administered, whether they demonstrably increase lymph drainage, and whether this contributes to slowing down the progression of the disease.
