CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH, United Kingdom — November 20, 2025 — Leads & Copy — Concept Life Sciences, a contract research organization, presented three research posters at Neuroscience 2025, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN), which took place in San Diego, California, from November 15-19.
The studies highlight the organization’s expanding expertise in neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and translational cell models that enhance the predictivity of early drug discovery.
The three posters showcase how Concept Life Sciences applies in-vitro and ex-vivo systems to model key mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases:
One study establishes a validated, multi-stage phenotypic screening cascade for discovering next-generation NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors. The workflow utilizes human THP-1 cells, primary human macrophages, human iPSC-derived microglia, and organotypic brain slices to deliver integrated mechanistic and functional readouts, enhancing translatability in early drug discovery.
Another study introduces in-vitro assays that enable quantification of oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) proliferation, differentiation, and myelin formation. By combining High-Content and 3D Imaging with gene expression analysis and metabolite quantification, Concept Life Sciences established reproducible assays that capture the molecular and functional hallmarks of OPC maturation and myelination. These models provide a translational platform to evaluate compounds that may enhance remyelination in disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and ischemic stroke.
The final study validates human iPSC-derived astrocytes as a reproducible model of reactive neurotoxic astrocytes, establishing a high-value assay for evaluating compounds that modulate neuroinflammatory pathways.
Ahead of Neuroscience 2025, Concept Life Sciences launched a new white paper titled “Advancing Inflammasome Drug Discovery: Building a Complete Picture of Inflammasome Activity for Therapeutic Success.” The paper highlights the inflammasome as a therapeutic target for intervention across inflammatory, metabolic, neurodegenerative, and autoimmune diseases. It also focuses on using physiologically relevant assays across multiple inflammasome types and cell models to generate more predictive data for drug discovery. Concept Life Sciences’ integrated assay portfolio supports a comprehensive understanding of inflammasome modulation.
Dr. Elise Malavasi, Neuroscience Associate Director at Concept Life Sciences, said that the work presented at Neuroscience 2025 highlighted how the organization’s integrated biology platforms enable a deeper understanding of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative mechanisms.
Concept Life Sciences has around 230 employees, with over 70% holding PhDs. The company operates from UK facilities, headquartered near Manchester, with specialist operations in Edinburgh, Dundee, and Sandwich.
Clare Whitewoods is the Marketing Director at Concept Life Sciences. She can be reached at Clare.Whitewoods@conceptlifesciences.com. Scius Communications contacts include Katja Stout (at +44 778 943 5990 or katja@sciuscommunications.com) and Daniel Gooch (at +44 7747 875479 or daniel@sciuscommunications.com).
Source: Concept Life Sciences
