S'pore researchers to study stem cell transplants in brain to stop Parkinson's disease

Researchers from the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) are embarking on a ground-breaking project to transplant stem cells into the brains of those with early Parkinson's disease, in a bid to stop the disease in its tracks.

- Lee Li Ying

Planning for the first-of-its-kind trial in Singapore is still under way, pending regulatory and ethical approvals.

Researchers are hopeful that the phase one trial for the novel approach can begin in late 2026, with five to eight patients who are younger and facing complications with their current treatments.

The project is being funded under a $25 million research grant awarded on May 28 to the institute by the National Medical Research Council for five years to study Parkinson's disease. The programme is called Singapore Parkinson's Disease Programme, or Sparkle.

An estimated 8,000 people in Singapore live with Parkinson's disease, which happens when dopamine-producing cells in the brain progressively die. As dopamine levels fall, patients present symptoms such as tremors and stiffness, and slowed movement appears. There is no known cure for the neurodegenerative disease, which leads to difficulty with walking, balance, coordination and even speech.

The idea of replacing brain cells killed off by Parkinson's with stem cells has been around for about four decades. The hope is that the transplanted cells, which have the ability to evolve into different types of specialised cells, can then start producing dopamine, reversing the condition.