Published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, the research shows that combining stem cell therapy with the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) significantly improves the maturation and activity of human neurons grown in the laboratory.  

Led by Professor Daniel Tornero and researcher Alba Ortega from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Institute of Neurosciences (UBneuro), the study found that neural progenitor cells modified to overexpress BDNF formed more mature and active neuronal networks without disrupting their normal organisation. The approach integrates the growth factor directly into the therapeutic cells, strengthening their regenerative potential.  

Using a microfluidic chip system, the team demonstrated that BDNF-producing cells could attract axons – the projections that enable neuron-to-neuron communication – by creating a concentration gradient that guided their growth. This is the first time such an effect has been observed in neurons derived from human stem cells.  

According to the researchers, the strategy could complement the brain’s limited natural repair mechanisms and help restore function after stroke or neurodegenerative damage. The group plans to extend the work to animal models of ischaemic stroke to explore its clinical potential.