NanoPANS (Functionalized Nanocarriers sending anti-PArkinson’s Disease drugs to the Nervous System) is working on developing innovative drug delivery methods to treat neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s Disease (PD).

The team plans to use drug-loaded “smart” lipid nanoparticles, tagged with ligands, to cross the blood-brain barrier—a key challenge in treating brain diseases. These nanoparticles will carry antibodies developed in Otzen’s lab, targeting α-synuclein protein aggregates, which play a central role in the progression of PD.

This highly collaborative project brings together leading scientists from multiple disciplines. Professor Nikos Hatzakis from Copenhagen University (CU) will use super-resolution microscopy and single-particle tracking to identify the best nanoparticles to cross the blood-brain barrier.
Dr. Céline Galvagnion, also CU, will provide Parkinson’s patient-derived neuronal cell lines to test the therapeutic efficacy of the antibodies. Finally, Professor Martin Lauritzen and Dr. Krzysztof Kucharz from the Panum Institute at CU will monitor nanoparticle transport across the blood-brain barrier in live mice using two-photon microscopy.

“We are incredibly excited to launch this project,” says Professor Otzen. “It is a privilege to work alongside such innovative and talented scientists. The timing couldn’t be better—we already have the techniques and reagents in place and just need to combine them to see how they work together. We very much hope this will advance the prospects of treating devastating diseases like Parkinson’s and other brain disorders.”

Professor Daniel Otzen
Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)
Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics
Aarhus University
Email: dao@inano.au.dk