Study open for volunteers
Skin2Neuron has developed new technology for generating neurons (brain cells) from hair follicles. This technology may have many potential applications, including for the future treatment of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and others.
To date, we have tested this technology using strips of scalp skin harvested from healthy volunteers as well as patients undergoing a hair transplant. However, there is an alternative method of hair follicle harvest already in use in some hair transplant clinics called Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). This involves a special instrument to make tiny circular cuts around each individual hair follicle prior to extraction.
From a donor’s perspective the FUE method has several advantages: there is less pain, no open wound, no sutures (stitches) required and no resulting long scar.
The aim of this study is to compare the biological properties of neurons (brain cells) generated from the FUE method to those obtained previously using the strip procedure.
We therefore invite adults without noticeable hair health problems to donate ~800 hair follicles using the lower impact FUE method.
The procedure will be conducted by our collaborating hair transplant doctor and involves 2 hours in their clinic in Double Bay NSW. The doctor will extract individual hair follicles under local anaesthetic. Within days the tiny scalp holes left behind after the harvest will heal over. Within 2 weeks, natural hair growth will leave no visible trace of the procedure. Mild pain may be experienced for 24 hours and can be treated with simple oral medication such as paracetamol.
Volunteers will be reimbursed for their time and effort.
This project has received human ethics clearance by Bellberry (ID 2024-10-1279). More information is available at www.skin2neuron.org/science .
More Info
If you are interested in contributing to this pioneering medical research please contact co-investigator Dr Justin Wu on T: +61 449 664 688 or E: justin.wu@sydney.edu.au