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The Development, Production and Characterization of Adult Neural Stem cells from African Giant Rat (Cricetomysgambianus Waterhouse)

The Development, Production and Characterization of Adult Neural Stem cells from

African Giant Rat (Cricetomysgambianus Waterhouse)

Brain degeneration diseases and neurological conditions including Epilepsy, Parkinson, Alzheimer’s disease, Stroke related dementia and demyelinating diseases are debilitating to individuals and constitute socioeconomic stress to the families of the individuals. Incidence of these diseases has been on the increase worldwide due to ageing populations, upswing in industrialization and attendant unregulated pollution. Developed countries invest billions of dollars on research and efforts to discover new drugs and strategies to manage these disease conditions. The drug discovery and development processes require testing potential compounds in cell cultures, and animal models before human clinical trials. Unfortunately, participation of developing countries including Nigeria in the drug discovery processes is limited due to lack of expertise for brain cell culture system and lack of funding.

Countries in Africa and particularly Nigeria are blessed with abundant plant biodiversity. The crude forms of the plants have shown evidence-based improvements in evaluations as herbal remedies and in animal models. The lack of viable brain cell culture system which serves as gold standard for testing potential new remedies for brain degenerating diseases limits the value of these plant products from Nigeria. The implication is that plant and chemical resources being developed in the country and particularly University of Ibadan cannot compete globally due to absence of important data from brain cell culture

This University of Ibadan research project on The Development, Production and Characterization of adult Neural Stem cells from African Giant Rats (Cricetomysgambianus Waterhouse) is designed to produce neural stem cells culture models that can be used for research and studies on brain degeneration disorders.

The neural stem cells culture model developed in this study will be valuable for enhancing capacity of University of Ibadan to contribute to drug development and studies on brain degenerative diseases. The models will be used for:

  1. Better understanding of the mechanism of brain degenerating disease conditions.
  2. Screening and testing of potential chemical plant materials that can be developed for treatment of brain related disease conditions include Epilepsy, Parkinson, and demyelinating diseases.

The development of Adult Neural Stem Cells from the indigenous African Giant Rat will create a national center of excellence in basic neuroscience research and studies on brain degenerating disorderat the University of Ibadan. The studies will increase collaborationsand strengthen the genomic infrastructure at University of Ibadan.

 

Project Leader

Professor James OlopadeDVM, PhD, FVCSN

Veterinary Anatomy and Neuroscience

 

Collaborating Research Leaders

Dr. AdekunleBakarePh.D.

Department of Zoology

University of Ibadan

 

Dr. AbosedeOmonona Ph.D., FCVSN

Department of Wildlife and Eco-tourism

University of Ibadan