UQ researchers have received $4.1 million from the Medical Research Future Fund to advance their research into epilepsy treatments made from spider venom proteins. Led by Professor Ernst Wolvetang , the project aims to prove the safety and efficacy of venom-based drugs by testing them on lab-grown brain and heart organoids grown from the cells of epilepsy patients.
The research aims to pave the way for human clinical trials and to establish organoids as a tool that can be used to test experimental treatments and therapies. The funding has been provided through the MRFF's Stem Cell Therapies grant scheme. The University of Queensland.