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The Platform

The History of Microglia

1924
Dr. Pio del Rio-Hortega discovers that microglia are the brain’s immune cells

Building on landmark research by his colleagues at Santiago Ramón y Cajal School, Pio del Rio-Hortega successfully distinguishes microglia from neighboring cells using a silver carbonate labelling technique. His subsequent research defines the diversity and responsiveness of microglia and their distribution throughout the brain and microglial proliferation associated with disease.

2005
Dr. Axel Nimmerjahn establishes the role of neuroimmunity in protecting the central nervous system

Finally in 2005, Axel Nimmerjahn and team use two-photon in vivo imaging to visualize the neuroimmune system, documenting the resting state of microglia and their protective reactions to injury in the brain.

2013
An Icelandic research team links neuroimmune dysfunction to neurodegenerative disease

A research team led by Dr. Thorlakur Jonsson links genetic mutation in neuroimmune cells to brain inflammation and dementia, sparking interest in investigating neuroimmune biomarkers for neurodegenerative disease.

2016
Human Cell Atlas launches the next frontier of digital biology

The Human Cell Atlas project demonstrates the possibility of mapping the functions and relationships of individual cells using emergent single cell, spatial genomics, and cutting-edge computational techniques.

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