————- The development of drugs for brain diseases is difficult for several reasons. Unfortunately, the blood-brain barrier, which is there to prevent all kinds of undesirable substances from entering the brain, also causes important medicines to be stopped. In addition, animal models with which research is carried out mimic but limit the disease in patients. The research by Elly Hol and Elga de Vries, called CONNECT, aims to develop a human cell model that is closer to the patient than current cell and animal models. They do this by using the latest technology from human stem cells to develop blood-brain barrier cells and link them to mini-brains.