Active / Project
BRAIN-iPSC
Modelling how polygenic risk for brain disorders affects human stem cell-derived neurons.
How does genetic risk affect our cells?
BRAIN-iPSC is building a resource of cellular models from Finnish individuals selected using polygenic risk scores (PRS). It investigates how common genetic variation influences brain-cell phenotypes and susceptibility to neurological and psychiatric disorders.
From genetic risk to cellular models
Using FinnGen genetic and registry data, the project identifies healthy individuals with high, low or average PRS for general cognitive function, schizophrenia or Parkinson’s disease. Blood samples provide the starting material for stem cell-derived brain-cell models and multiomic profiling.
Comparing these models will help identify cellular features associated with genetic risk, both within and across traits, with potential relevance to future drug development.
Sample collection began in spring 2026. The work is carried out at FIMM, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, with the partner organisations listed below.
Images and figures
Collaborators
- Finnish Biobank Cooperative (FINBB)
- Helsinki Biobank
- Finnish Red Cross Blood Service