Arisla Foundation, the most important non-profit organization that finances research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Italy, announces new funding of almost 1 million euros (999,300 to be precise) for the development of 7 innovative projects selected with the 2023 call. The call – recalls a note – it was aimed at researchers from Italian universities and non-profit Italian public and private research institutes, who could apply in the areas of basic, preclinical or observational clinical research concerning ALS, a very serious neurodegenerative disease which only in Italy involves around 6 thousand people and which to date has no effective therapy.
“We are pleased to have been able to increase the resources allocated to research this year, which we consider the indispensable tool to respond to the need for therapies for people with ALS – underlines the president of Arisla, Mario Melazzini – The 7 new studies, with which we exceed the quota of 100 projects financed to date, they are of the highest quality and very innovative, several use very advanced models such as artificial intelligence, and aim to have a concrete impact on the clinic. A priority included in the 2023 Call, the first step of our new strategic plan to accelerate the identification of effective interventions for the diagnosis, management and treatment of ALS”.
To date, Arisla has invested funds amounting to 15.98 million euros in ALS research, the result of the support of those who believe in the value of research, we read in the note. The support of the 4 founding members Aisla Onlus, the Cariplo Foundation, the Vialli and Mauro Foundation for research and sport Onlus and the Telethon Foundation is essential. In more than 10 years of activity, Arisla has supported 149 research groups distributed throughout Italy, with 105 projects in various research areas, from basic or preclinical to clinical. The projects already funded have generated over 370 scientific publications with a high impact on the international scientific community, an important figure that highlights the quality of the selected studies. “Our selection process – highlights Anna Ambrosini, scientific director of the Arisla Foundation – is based on the peer review method and the projects we finance are evaluated by international experts who select excellent research on the basis of the scientific value of the proposed study. Over the years, this has meant that the supported projects have made an important contribution to scientific progress on ALS.”
In the 7 new projects – specifies Arisla – there are 13 research groups involved, distributed in the cities of Milan, Novara, Pisa and Turin. These are 4 multi-year and multi-centre projects (Full Grant), which will develop promising areas of study based on solid preliminary data, and 3 annual Pilot Grants, to test innovative and original ideas.
Regarding the Full Grants, 2 studies of this type will focus on the mechanisms involved in bulbar-onset ALS, a form that involves problems relating to language and swallowing: one is 'Bulb-Omic', coordinated by Eleonora Dalla Bella of the Irccs Institute Foundation neurological Carlo Besta of Milan, with partner Pierluigi Mauri of the Institute of Biomedical Technologies – Cnr of Milan; the other is 'Mimosa', coordinated by Andrea Bandini of the Sant'Anna secondary school in Pisa, with partners Gabriele Siciliano of the University of Pisa and Aou Pisana, Santa Chiara hospital. The other 2 multi-year projects will investigate the causes of the onset of ALS: the 'Dig-Als' study will focus on the genetic ones, coordinated by Sandra D'Alfonso of the University of Eastern Piedmont, with partner Adriano Chiò of the University of Studies of Turin and Antonia Ratti of the Irccs Italian Auxological Institute of Milan; the other project, 'Ideals', coordinated by Nilo Riva of the Irccs Foundation Carlo Besta Neurological Institute of Milan, with partners Angelo Quattrini and Dario Bonanomi, both of the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University of Milan, will carry out advanced molecular analyzes to identify new biomarkers of the disease.
Regarding the Pilot Grants, the funded projects will identify new biomarkers, fundamental both for the diagnosis of ALS and for understanding its progression over time, in order to be able to intervene in a more timely and targeted way. This is the 'Chol-Als' study, coordinated by Laura Calabresi of the University of Milan; of the 'MyoMusAls' research project, coordinated by Rosanna Piccirillo of the ALS Research Center of the Mario Negri Irccs Pharmacological Research Institute in Milan, and of the 'Tarco4Als' study, coordinated by Marcello Manfredi of the University of Eastern Piedmont.
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