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Main axes of research

The LCSB analyses biological mechanisms, with an emphasis on the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. New targets for prevention and intervention of neurodegenerative disease and disease pathogenesis will be analysed in the context of complex biological network composition and behaviour and interpreted as perturbations in the homeostasis of physiological networks. Mathematical descriptions of such networks will be generated and used for the modelling and simulation of how diseases develop and how they are influenced by genetic predisposition or by external environmental parameters, such as drugs, nutrition and life style.
A core area of the research is dedicated to Parkinson’s disease. Within a systems approach, genetic, molecular and cellular analysis will lead to direct clinical translation, enabled through collaboration with clinics like the CHL. The detailed examination of pathways involved in Parkinson related neurodegeneration, whole genome sequencing of families suffering from Parkinson disease, identification of anti-neuroinflammatory targets and the analysis of functional dynamics will offer new insights in the pathogenesis of the disease.
In our research program, the experimental analysis of biological systems across different scales is fully integrated with the development of new technologies, i.e. in the area of high- throughput screening devices, single-cell analysis and in the field of mathematical and computational tools. The LCSB aims at a highly interdisciplinary environment at the interface of biology, medicine, mathematics and physics, combining biological experimentation with theoretical, mathematical and computational biology.

Application domains

The Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) is highly interdisciplinary and draws expertise from a variety of disciplines:

• Experimental Biology: Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation; Physiology and pathophysiology of human diseases; Animal models of human diseases
• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology: Computational Biology; Dynamics of complex biological systems; Network analysis; Biological modelling and simulation
• Clinical Research: Genetics and pathophysiology of Parkinson´s disease; Proof of concept preclinical studies
• Technology Platforms: Genomics-Proteomics-Metabolomics; Chemical Biology

Current research projects

Projects in partnership with the Institute for Systems Biology/Seattle:

• Genome Sequencing Project: this project includes the whole genome sequencing of a minimum of one hundred subjects and development of new methods for understanding the role of genetic variations in disease, leading to new insights into diagnosis, prevention and therapy.
• Protein Blood Fingerprint and Cell Analysis Project: this project consists of the development of integrated systems proteomics, RNA and cell analysis methodology and tools based on protein blood "fingerprints" and single-cell characteristics that can report on the physiological state of the body's 50 major organs. The goal is the development of early diagnostic approaches to not only treat but also predict disease and the ability to monitor the effects of existing drugs, including effective responses or adverse reactions.

Areas of competence

Life Sciences, health and biotechnology

Technology keywords

Biochemistry/Biophysics - Bioinformatics - Cellular and Molecular Biology - Clinical Research, Trials - Diagnostics, Diagnosis - Diseases - Gene Expression, Proteom Research - Genetic Engineering - Organic Chemistry - Physiology