Motile cilia are tiny hair-like structures on the surfaces of living organisms that move back and forth to push fluids. The project’s hypothesis suggests that - contrary to conventional beliefs about cilia in vertebrates - the ciliary beat frequency of cells lining the fluid-filled brain ventricles is under neuronal control. This groundbreaking insight could unveil a previously unknown mechanism for controlling the patterns of cerebrospinal fluid transport. Drawing from their expertise in biological fluid dynamics and neuroscience, Janna Nawroth’s research team has been developing experimental and computational tools for exploring this hypothesis. Successfully demonstrating the ability of the brain to control and adapt fluid flows has the potential to entirely reshape our understanding of how cerebrospinal fluid influences brain development, healing, sleep, and detrimental conditions such as Alzheimer's.
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With the program "Pioneering Research – Exploring the Unknown Unknown", the Volkswagen Foundation supports groundbreaking and risky research ideas with high scientific relevance.
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