AAIC 2021 | The promise of single-cell approaches in neurodegenerative disease research

Evan Macosko, MD, PhD, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, talks on the potential benefits of using single-cell technologies in neurodegenerative disease research. As demonstrated by Dr Macosko’s work on the molecular characterization of midbrain dopaminergic neurons vulnerable to Parkinson’s disease, single-cell analysis can be used as a tool for neuropathology and to understand cell-to-cell variation. Beyond this, assessment at a single-cell resolution can enable the critical evaluation of in vitro models as potential screening tools. Dr Macosko also highlights the use of single-cell analysis as a readout for screens, to better understand the impact of interventions on specific pathways or actions. This interview took place during the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2021.