Two professors from the University of La Laguna, Edgar Pérez Herrero, from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, and Ingrid Morales Pérez, Researchers from the Department of Basic Medical Sciences want to develop new therapeutic strategies to help modify the course of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. To this end, they have launched a fundraising campaign through the academic institution's crowdfunding platform, which is already published and will begin accepting contributions in the coming days.
The date chosen to pre-launch this crowdfunding campaign is today, April 11th, World Parkinson's Day, established by the WHO to raise awareness of this disease, support those living with it, and promote research. Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson's, and existing treatments are symptomatic, meaning they focus on alleviating symptoms and improving patients' quality of life.
It can affect young adults, under 50, a condition known as early-onset Parkinson's, which challenges the belief that it is only a disease of the elderly. Furthermore, it does not affect two people in the same way, so the symptoms and their progression are unique to each individual.
Crowdfunding campaign
The project is called NEUROnanoNASAL, as it will address neurodegenerative diseases using nanoplatforms that allow the delivery of bioactive molecules to the central nervous system via the intranasal route. Its leaders have launched the campaign to secure the minimum funding necessary to carry it out. This is the first time the University of La Laguna's crowdfunding platform has been used to raise funds to support a research project.
Interested individuals will be able to make individual contributions of up to €50 or free donations for any amount they wish, and sponsoring companies will also be able to collaborate in three categories: bronze (€1,000), silver (€2,500), and gold (€5,000), with interesting rewards for each.
The project will be carried out in two phases. If the minimum budget of €21,850 is secured, a nanosystem will be developed and optimized to deliver drugs to the central nervous system via the intranasal route, using levodopa as a model drug.
In a second phase, if the additional funding is obtained up to a total of €47,725, the developed prototype will be used to transport inhibitors of the LRRK2 protein kinase activity to neurons and send antisense oligonucleotides that block the production of the protein in a model of Parkinson's disease.
Ingrid Morales and Edgar Pérez need this funding to obtain preliminary results that will improve their competitiveness in major grant competitions and attract the attention of large investors who can enable them to further their research. Researchers beginning their independent research careers and emerging research groups face greater difficulty in securing funding in large, competitive calls for proposals unless they are led by established researchers.
Although this research will undoubtedly benefit people with Parkinson's disease, the technology developed will be applicable to other neurodegenerative diseases.
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