A new model of the worm C. elegans to progress in the study of a rare disease of the nervous system

In a research co-directed by Dr Esther Dalfó, researcher at the Institute and professor at UVic-UCC, a model of chromosome X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (x-ALD) has been indentified in the earthworm C. elegans.

The model will permit to accelerate and reduce the price of the research, which is studying the mechanisms and the possible pharmacological targets for the neuronal alterations of this disease.

The earliest results of studies with this organism point to glial cells as a man responsible for the neurological damage caused by the disease.

The work was done at the IDIBELL Neurometabolic Diseases group, with international collaborations, and has been published in the Free Radical Biology and Medicine journal.

Read the article

The H2020 project QSPainRelief awarded by the European Commission

The QSPainRelief project "Effective combinational treatment of chronic pain in individual patients by an innovative quantitative systems pharmacology pain relief approach", which includes the participation of Dr. Jesús Giraldo’s team (Institute for Neurosciences and Biostatistics Unit of the School of Medicine), has been funded from the European Commission.

This  project will attempt to solve a crucial problem since about 20% of Europeans suffer from chronic pain and current therapies are not effective in many cases. Around 60% of patients do not reach enough relief from traditional painkillers, which in turn can lead to several adverse effects.

The QSPainRelief project addresses the problem of chronic pain by identifying new drug combinations that are expected to increase analgesic efficacy while reducing side effects. To do this, quantitative systems pharmacology and computational modeling will be used. The best combinations will be validated in animal models and clinical studies.

The QSPainRelief project will receive more than € 6 million in funding for 5 years through the H2020 program. The project is a collaboration between 9 research institutions from 6 different countries, including the UAB, starting January 1, 2020.

Appointment of the new coordinator of the Master in Neurosciences Program

Professor Joaquim Martí Clúa has recently been appointed as the new coordinator of the Official Master’s degree in Neuroscience. The official proposal for appointment was presented by the dean of the Faculty of Biosciences, from which this Master's degree depends, after hearing the management board of the institute. The appointment is in place since last December 15th.

We would like to sincerely thank Margalida Coll Andreu for the work done all of these years as coordinator. She has done an excellent job in this task and our masters program has clearly benefit from his dedication and commitment. As an indicator, the Neuroscience program has been distinguished in her term with the prestigious Accreditation of Excellent from the AQU.

We would like to wish all the best to our former coordinator on her new endeavors, and welcome Professor Joaquim Martí on his new commission.