Emerging technologies for research models of human neuronal disorders in vivo and in vitro

Guest edited by Dr Tom Cunningham and Professor Clare Stanford

In vitro and in vivo models are essential to our understanding of human disease.  But how well can a rodent model really capture a human disease?  This has been a major challenge for complex disorders that involve the nervous system. Recent advances in stem cell technology have enabled the culture of human, patient-specific, neurons and also tissue-based brain models termed “organoids”.  But to what extent can these fully capture the complexity of the human brain and so provide insight into the causes and treatment of neuronal disorders?

This themed collection in Neuronal Signaling aims to share advances in disease modelling and explore how both in vitro and in vivo models can enhance our understanding of neuronal disorders, as well as their prevention and treatment. The collection is based on the symposium, ‘From stem cells to whole animals: the scope and appraisal of research models in vitro and in vivo’, that took place at the BNA Festival of Neuroscience (2021).

We would like to thank all the authors for their excellent contributions and announce that this collection will remain open for research submissions. You can submit your research on our website or contact editorial@portlandpress.com for more information.