Research Projects

The objective of the Coordination Action JUMPAHEAD is to support the implementation of the pilot Joint Programming Initiative on combating neurodegenerative diseases, in particular Alzheimer’s disease (JPND). Neurodegenerative disorders are incurable and debilitating conditions that result in progressive degeneration or death of nerve cells. Of...

Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterised by the accumulation of beta amyloid peptide cut from a transmembrane precursor. A large intramembrane complex carries out the proteolysis: gamma-secretase, containing the protease presenilin and other three proteins (nicastrin, aph1, pen2). G-secretase is involved also in the proteolysis mediated signaling...

Second to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in prevalence, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative condition resulting from the progressive deterioration of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Cognitive and behavioural impairments are the most early and prevalent characteristic of FTD. In numerous studies, these disturbances have been...

The increase in average lifespan across the world has been accompanied by an unprecedented upsurge in the occurrence of dementia with high socio-economic costs. The development of personal health systems provides a means of dealing with such problems in a meaningful and sustainable manner, enabling persons with dementia to maintain independence and...

How lipids are regulated on a global scale during vascular inflammation is not known. Thus, a major challenge exists to describe and catalog the total lipidome, in particular enabling the identification of new biologically active lipids, and description of changes. This is analogous to ‘omics’ of DNA, RNA and protein, but instead describing...

Late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that currently affects 2% of the population in industrialized countries; the risk of LOAD increases in individuals beyond the age of 70 and it is predicted that the incidence of LOAD will increase 4-fold within the next 50 years which may cause a great socioeconomic problem...

In this work, I propose the use of a nano/microfluidic system to detect biomarkers relevant to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The use of this system could give earlier and more accurate diagnoses, as well as provide the opportunity for therapeutic interventions and effective disease monitoring. Prior to the diagnosis of dementia and even before the...

Neurodegenerative disorders such as, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and chronic stress create a major economic burden to society and a substantial reduction in quality of life for patients and families. The development of neuroregenerative therapies is notoriously difficult and...

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the major cause of dementia which has no cure at the moment. The overall aim of the work described in this proposal is to create a long-term strategic partnership between Sheffield University (UK), Lisbon University (Portugal), Eli Lilly (UK) and Biofordrug (Italy) in order to develop chemical biology tools for better...

DECIDE (Diagnostic Enhancement of Confidence by an International Distributed Environment), aims at creating a e-Infrastructure to enhance the diagnostic confidence in chronic brain diseases such as Alzheimer and dementia. Proper management of these neurodegenerative diseases are thought to be very important in terms of health-economical point of...

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder and is incurable. A drug candidate specifically inhibiting butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity will lead to improved clinical outcome in the treatment of AD. The fellow Qiong Shen (QS) has extensive experience, knowledge and technical skills in research into AD. Previously she...

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of proteins and protein fragments in the brain, progressive neuronal loss, inflammation, and the gradual and inevitable decline of memory and cognition. Decline of memory and cognition is coupled with binding of β amyloid peptides (Aβ) and their derived diffusible...