Inspired by advances in cancer therapy, a team at the Buck Institute has engineered immune cells equipped with specialized targeting devices called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that can distinguish and respond to tau tangles and various forms of toxic amyloid plaques, both of which are implicated in Alzheimer’s disease pathology. The proof-of-concept study, now online at the Journal of Translational Medicine, holds the promise of being able to precisely deliver therapeutic drugs directly to affected areas of the  brain with fewer side effects.

Cambridge researchers urge public health bodies like the NHS to provide trustworthy, research-driven alternatives to platforms driven by profit.