Partnering in Brain Organoid Innovation & Translational Neurobiology

The CCB Lab, led by Jay Gopalakrishnan, is dedicated to advancing the molecular understanding of centrosomes and cilia biogenesis and their critical roles in human brain development, degeneration, and tumorigenesis. We collaborate with industry partners to translate fundamental discoveries into therapeutic strategies, disease models, and next-generation organoid technologies.

Our Scientific Focus

Centrosomes and primary cilia are essential cellular organelles that function as molecular switches regulating neural stem cell homeostasis. By engineering biomolecules, stem cells, and 3D brain organoids, we aim to uncover mechanisms that govern:

• Human brain development and degeneration
• Neural stem cell maintenance and tissue organization
• Tumorigenesis, including glioma stem cell dynamics
• Therapeutic targeting of centrosome- and cilia-mediated pathways

Our research integrates:

• Advanced genetic engineering
• Stem cell bioengineering
• Human brain organoid systems
• Super-resolution imaging (3D SIM, STED, and electron microscopy)
• Industry Collaboration Opportunities

We welcome partnerships in the following areas:

• Translational Research & Drug Discovery
• Identification of molecular targets in neurodevelopmental disorders
• Screening therapeutic small molecules targeting centrosome and cilia pathways
• Organoid-based drug validation platforms
• Personalized Disease Modeling
• Patient-specific brain organoids for microcephaly and monogenic disorders
• Personalized glioma invasion and differentiation assays
• Modeling neurotropic viral infections (ZIKV, SARS-CoV-2) in human brain organoids

Technology Development

• Next-generation organoid culture platforms
• Advanced tissue engineering systems
• Imaging-driven phenotypic screening technologies

Impact

Our integrative approach bridges basic biology and translational neuroscience. By engineering biomolecules, stem cells, and tissues, we aim to:

• Reveal novel mechanisms of neural stem cell regulation
• Model complex human brain disorders
• Enable precision medicine approaches
• Support industry-driven therapeutic innovation
• Contact for Industry Partnerships

Prof. Dr. Jay Gopalakrishnan
Principal Investigator

• Jay.Gopalakrishnan@med.uni-jena.de,
• Jay.Gopalakrishnan@uni-jena.de
• Phone: +49 3641 9-396809

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