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The foundation Alliance Biosecure announces the results of its call for projects 2007
Lille (France), Edinburgh (UK), 28 September 2007
Press release : The Foundation Alliance Biosecure announces today, both at EUROBIO forum in Lille and at Prion 2007 congress in Edinburgh, the results of its international call for projects 2007, launched on April 5th, and for which a total sum of 400,000 Euros was available. The selected projects are...
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The Research Foundation Alliance BioSecure, recognized as of public utility, aims to promote fundamental and translational research applied to biological safety, announces today, both at EUROBIO forum in Lille and at Prion 2007 congress in Edinburgh, the results of its international call for projects 2007, launched on April 5th, and for which a total sum of 400,000 Euros was available.
Eight collaborative projects have been selected (out of 36 evaluated dossiers). All of them address the research topics defined by the Scientific Council in accordance with the objectives of the Foundation Alliance Biosecure.
1. Physiopathology of prion-related illnesses or related to other emerging pathogens,
2. New methods for detection, elimination and inactivation of prions in biological fluids and in biological or biotechnological medicinal products,
3. New therapeutic approaches of prion-related illnesses.
The eight selected projects are the following ones :
Axis 1
- Physiopathology of prion-related illnesses in bank vole (Myodes glareolus), a new in vivo model, predictable of human encephalopathies: project conducted by H. AGRIMI (ISS, Roma, Italy),
- Development of a new in vitro model for culture of human cell lines, infectable by prion: project led by F. MOUTHON (CEA, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France), in collaboration with H. LAUDE (INRA, Jouy-en-Josas, France) and R. HESP (Health Protection Agency, Weybridge, UK).
Axis 2
- Development of a innovative method for detection of protein aggregates; application to the detection of prion: project carried out by M. KAMALI (Uppsala University, Sweden),
- New methods for detection of prion in blood and titration of its infectivity: project headed by the French Blood Establishment (research centres of Montpellier (J. COSTE) and Lille (D. DERNIS)), in collaboration with K. HOLADA (University of Prague, Czech Republic), H. LAUDE (INRA, Jouy-en-Josas, France), E. COMOY (CEA, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France) and the Biological Safety laboratory of the company LFB (Les Ulis, France),
- New methods for elimination of prion by filtration : project led by O. ANDREOLETTI (INRA, Toulouse, France), in collaboration with J. GRASSI (CEA, Saclay, France), H. SIMMONS (VLA, Weybridge, UK), and the company MacoPharma (Tourcoing, France).
Axis 3
- Immunotherapy of prion-related illnesses : project conducted by C. ZURZOLO (Pasteur Institute, Paris, France),
- New inhibitors of the conversion of physiological (PrP) into pathological prion (PrPres) : project headed by H. REZAEI (INRA, Jouy-en-Josas, France) in collaboration with A.SCHWOK (Inserm U696, Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France) and F. FRATERNALI (King’s College, London, UK),
- Cannabinoïd derivatives, a new therapeutic approaches of prion-related illnesses : project carried out by J. CHABRY (IMPC, CNRS, Nice, France).
Each project is to be granted for 1 year (grant may be renewed). Sums allocated vary from 20,000 to 135,000 Euros, according to the size of the project and the number of teams involved.
A report on the projects granted will be the focus of a scientific symposium to be organised by the Foundation Alliance BioSecure and planned in Autumn 2008.