"Most researchers are taking biopsies from living patients with a diagnosis. That’s fine, maybe, with familial cases of [Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease], and Huntington’s because you see the family structure and you can follow the genetics," but it becomes more difficult with sporadic cases, he added.
Researchers at Dr. Huentelman’s institution have partnered with the Banner Sun Health Brain and Tissue Bank to make iPSCs from whole-body donors to that program, so that their cell studies are backed with a neuropathological diagnosis.
Neither Dr. Huang nor Dr. Huentelman had relevant disclosures.