CHD2 Community

CCC Awards Grant to Advance Personalized Medicine for CHD2-Related Epilepsy

Coalition to Cure CHD2 is proud to announce our funding of a new study that could lead to faster, more effective, and more personalized treatment options for people living with CHD2-related epilepsy.

This groundbreaking research is developing a "brain-on-a-chip" system to create personalized treatment strategies for every individual with CHD2.

🧬Meet Our Research Champions

Prof. Dr. Nael Nadif Kasri, a leading researcher at Radboud University, specializing in neurodevelopmental disorders and autism research. 📖 Learn more about Dr. Nadif Kasri | 💼 LinkedIn Profile

Dr. Elly Lewerissa, PhD candidate working alongside Dr. Nadif Kasri, bringing fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to CHD2 research. LinkedIn Profile

🔬 What Makes This Study Revolutionary?

The "Brain-on-a-Chip" Breakthrough

With support from this grant, scientists Prof. Dr. Nael Nadif Kasri and Dr. Elly Lewerissa are developing a patient-specific platform to understand the condition better and guide more targeted treatment strategies. The team is using cells derived from individuals with CHD2 mutations to generate human neurons in the laboratory. These neurons are cultured on advanced microelectrode arrays (MEA) chips, which enable real-time monitoring of their electrical activity. This “brain-on-a-chip” system provides a powerful tool to study how patient-specific neural networks function and respond to various anti-seizure medications.

🎯 Key Benefits This Research Could Unlock:

A more accurate diagnosis for patients
Personalized Medicine: Predict which medications will work best for each individual
Faster Treatment Decisions: Reduce trial-and-error approaches to finding effective therapies
Novel Therapies: Test innovative treatments like antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that could boost CHD2 protein production

🌟 Early Results Are Promising

The initial findings are already showing that brain cells from CHD2 patients display electrical patterns similar to those of seizure activity, indicating that this model accurately reflects the condition. Even more exciting, early tests with ASOs have shown encouraging results in restoring more normal brain activity.

This research represents a major step toward our ultimate goal: personalized, effective treatments that could dramatically improve quality of life for everyone in our CHD2 community.

🙏 Thank You to Our Community

This research is only possible because of the incredible support from families like yours. Every donation, every story shared, and every moment of advocacy brings us closer to a cure.

We'll continue to keep you updated on the progress of this study and its implications for our community.