At Texas A&M AgriLife Research, a new branch of brain science is blooming at the molecular scale — with nanoflowers.

A study published in The Journal of Biological Chemistry demonstrated that nanoflowers — a type of metallic flower-shaped nanoparticle — can protect and heal brain cells by promoting the health and turnover of mitochondria, the molecular machines responsible for producing most of our cells’ energy.

These findings suggest a promising new approach to neurotherapeutics that targets the underlying mechanisms of diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, rather than just managing symptoms.

A recent study led by a team of researchers at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine examining aging mice has provided what is believed to be the first evidence that amyloid beta protein—small, sticky protein fragment found in people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD)—particles build up in the bone marrow of the animals, although not in the exact same form as the large, dense plaques found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.