Advancements in Immunity and Dementia Research: Highlights from the 2023 AAIC Advancements: Immunity Conference.

The immune system is a key player in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disorders. While brain resident immune cell-mediated neuroinflammation and peripheral immune cell (eg, T cell) infiltration into the brain have been shown to significantly contribute to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, the nature and extent of immune responses in the brain in the context of AD and related dementias (ADRD) remain unclear. Furthermore, the roles of the peripheral immune system in driving ADRD pathology remain incompletely elucidated.

Implementation and validation of single-cell genomics experiments in neuroscience.

Single-cell or single-nucleus transcriptomics is a powerful tool for identifying cell types and cell states. However, hypotheses derived from these assays, including gene expression information, require validation, and their functional relevance needs to be established. The choice of validation depends on numerous factors.

Droplet-based functional CRISPR screening of cell-cell interactions by SPEAC-seq.

Cell-cell interactions are essential for the function and contextual regulation of biological tissues. We present a platform for high-throughput microfluidics-supported genetic screening of functional regulators of cell-cell interactions. Systematic perturbation of encapsulated associated cells followed by sequencing (SPEAC-seq) combines genome-wide CRISPR libraries, cell coculture in droplets and microfluidic droplet sorting based on functional read-outs determined by fluorescent reporter circuits to enable the unbiased discovery of interaction regulators.