Cerebrum DAO
Cerebrum DAO is building the world’s largest engaged community focused on enabling scientific breakthroughs that prevent the onset of neurodegeneration and extend our healthy brain years.
The human brain is the final frontier in healthcare. With populations aging in many nations across the world and health interventions extending lifespan, we now face the challenge of our bodies outliving our brains.
38 Million
People currently living with Alzheimer's disease
$20 Billion
Neurodegenerative disease market by 2027
$1.3 Trillion
cost burden for dementia care in 2024
Project
Additional Documentation
1. Neuroinflammation
Neuroinflammatory changes in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other dementias are characterized by the activation of glial cells, particularly microglia and astrocytes, and the release of inflammatory mediators, which contribute to disease progression and severity. The continued release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and associated neurotoxins from microglia serves to exacerbate the neuroinflammation and contribute to neurodegeneration, leading to the activation of yet more microglia. We seek to fund projects that search for inhibitors of neuroinflammation and novel biomarkers specific to neuroinflammation.
2. Metabolic alterations, reactive oxygen species, and mitochondrial dysfunction
Hundreds of metabolites are altered in the brain affected by AD (1). Metabolic alterations, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), and mitochondrial dysfunction are interconnected processes that occur early and play a significant role in neurodegeneration. Altered bioenergetic pathways, including glycolysis, branched-chain amino acid metabolism, cholesterol, mitochondrial oxidation, and osmotic alterations are closely correlated with cognitive decline. An imbalance between the production of ROS and the ability of cells to detoxify them can lead to increased inflammatory responses and promote aging-related neurodegeneration. We are seeking proposals targeting early metabolic alterations, with a specific interest in mitochondrial dysfunction.
3. Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)
The BBB is a highly selective, semipermeable structural and chemical barrier that ensures a stable environment for the brain. However, in AD, the BBB becomes dysfunctional, leading to the failure of Amyloid-Beta (Aβ) transport from the brain to the peripheral circulation. This dysfunction is associated with decreased levels of low-density Lipoprotein Receptor-related Protein 1 (LRP-1) and increased levels of the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-products (RAGE), which are involved in Aβ transport across the BBB. Aβ deposition in the vasculature leads to pro-inflammatory, cytotoxic events and is associated with cerebral blood flow reductions and impaired hemodynamic responses. We seek proposals targeting early BBB changes and novel BBB disruption biomarkers.
Additional Documentation
1. Neuroinflammation
Neuroinflammatory changes in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other dementias are characterized by the activation of glial cells, particularly microglia and astrocytes, and the release of inflammatory mediators, which contribute to disease progression and severity. The continued release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and associated neurotoxins from microglia serves to exacerbate the neuroinflammation and contribute to neurodegeneration, leading to the activation of yet more microglia. We seek to fund projects that search for inhibitors of neuroinflammation and novel biomarkers specific to neuroinflammation.
2. Metabolic alterations, reactive oxygen species, and mitochondrial dysfunction
Hundreds of metabolites are altered in the brain affected by AD (1). Metabolic alterations, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), and mitochondrial dysfunction are interconnected processes that occur early and play a significant role in neurodegeneration. Altered bioenergetic pathways, including glycolysis, branched-chain amino acid metabolism, cholesterol, mitochondrial oxidation, and osmotic alterations are closely correlated with cognitive decline. An imbalance between the production of ROS and the ability of cells to detoxify them can lead to increased inflammatory responses and promote aging-related neurodegeneration. We are seeking proposals targeting early metabolic alterations, with a specific interest in mitochondrial dysfunction.
3. Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)
The BBB is a highly selective, semipermeable structural and chemical barrier that ensures a stable environment for the brain. However, in AD, the BBB becomes dysfunctional, leading to the failure of Amyloid-Beta (Aβ) transport from the brain to the peripheral circulation. This dysfunction is associated with decreased levels of low-density Lipoprotein Receptor-related Protein 1 (LRP-1) and increased levels of the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-products (RAGE), which are involved in Aβ transport across the BBB. Aβ deposition in the vasculature leads to pro-inflammatory, cytotoxic events and is associated with cerebral blood flow reductions and impaired hemodynamic responses. We seek proposals targeting early BBB changes and novel BBB disruption biomarkers.
Brian Magierski
Co-founder and CEO of 21 Impact Labs and the developer of the soon-to-be-released Xponetiq app for optimizing brain potential. Serial entrepreneur, Co-Founder and CEO/COO of multiple software startups, Brian has successfully raised multiple rounds of VC/PE capital and bought and sold businesses, including the exit of a $340m software startup to a publicly traded company. A passionate advocate for brain health, he is driven by his youngest daughter, who has Down syndrome, to accelerate solutions and cures for Alzheimer’s disease.
Liwaa Chehayeb
9 years of experience in the financial industry, as well as with over 7 years of experience in blockchain and cryptocurrency since 2016. Liwaa has worked on projects of varying scales and companies ranging from crypto startups to the biggest bank in the UAE, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB). He is a certified blockchain expert with a master's degree in Crypto & Blockchain from the University of Nicosia (UNIC).
Dr. Maryna Polyakova
Maryna uses neuroimaging, neuropsychological testing, and machine learning to improve early diagnostics of PPA. She works at the Foresight Institute, leading the Neurotech Tree project as they build a new roadmap for the future of neurotechnology. She is also a lecturer at HTW Berlin and the University of Leipzig and Max-Planck Research School, where she teaches an introduction to medicine, with a focus on digital health.
Mark Melnykowycz
Mark has a background in materials science and wearable sensors and gradually became fascinated with UX and product design with brain-computer interfaces. He is excited with the potential to create new science structures using DeSci and LLMs for a sustainable future. Mark styles himself as an artist-engineer, having broad visions inspiration with an understanding of the engineering tools needed to get stuff done in reality.
Yatan Blumenthal Vargas
Venture Builder, Organization Designer, Startup Accelerator, Mindful Leadership Coach, Alzheimer Parent Caretaker, VC Partner. Yatan have been working for 10+ years on helping early-stage startups get from zero to one and for the last few years has gotten interested in brain health for family reasons and wanted to bring more options that give hope and move the needle to the market.
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