Periodic Reporting for period 2 - COBRAIN (Armenia Center for Translational Research on Chronic Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Neuroscience Initiative on Maintaining Healthy Brain Ageing)
Período documentado: 2021-01-01 hasta 2023-05-31
COBRAIN aimed to enhance the research and innovation capacity of Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU) through strengthening the field of brain research with a special emphasis on neuroprotective cell-based and drug therapies of brain disorders by getting closer to the expertise of Eberhard Karls University of Tuebingen (EKUT), Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), and Lund University (ULUND). The project addressed the following sub-objectives:
- Establishment of neuroscience research structure and policy for building new mechanisms of effective management of university research infrastructure.
- Investment in early-stage researchers through upgrading their research skills in animal modelling, animal phenotyping, stem cell research, and compound testing.
- Broadening research career opportunities for faculty and early-stage researchers through establishing advanced training programs and funding scheme for permanent research.
- Setting up office of technology transfer and encouraging entrepreneurial activities by academic and research staff members.
- Increasing the visibility of the University with new research capacities in the international scientific community, medical/pharmaceutical industry, global knowledge economy.
Among its long-term objectives in science YSMU strives to establish a Brain Research Excellence Center for studying the prevention of chronic brain disorders (e.g. neurodegenerative disease, dementia, Alzheimer, autism etc.) and maintaining healthy ageing of the brain throughout lifespan. COBRAIN was a crucial starting point on our way to achieving research excellence and ensuring sustainable national competitiveness in brain research.
The ultimate public health goal of COBRAIN was to develop capacities for discovering, developing, and validating a wide range of interventions to prevent or delay, thus reducing the prevalence of chronic brain disorders not only in Armenia but also in nearby countries.
In addition to being a research capacity enhancement program, COBRAIN was a vigorous support to the national movement of slowing down the brain drain from Armenia to the Diaspora and encouraging the reverse flow of researchers back into Armenia.
- Establishment of neuroscience research structure and policy for building new mechanisms of effective management of university research infrastructure.
- Investment in early-stage researchers through upgrading their research skills in animal modelling, animal phenotyping, stem cell research, and compound testing.
- Broadening research career opportunities for faculty and early-stage researchers through establishing advanced training programs and funding scheme for permanent research.
- Setting up office of technology transfer and encouraging entrepreneurial activities by academic and research staff members.
- Increasing the visibility of the University with new research capacities in the international scientific community, medical/pharmaceutical industry, global knowledge economy.
Among its long-term objectives in science YSMU strives to establish a Brain Research Excellence Center for studying the prevention of chronic brain disorders (e.g. neurodegenerative disease, dementia, Alzheimer, autism etc.) and maintaining healthy ageing of the brain throughout lifespan. COBRAIN was a crucial starting point on our way to achieving research excellence and ensuring sustainable national competitiveness in brain research.
The ultimate public health goal of COBRAIN was to develop capacities for discovering, developing, and validating a wide range of interventions to prevent or delay, thus reducing the prevalence of chronic brain disorders not only in Armenia but also in nearby countries.
In addition to being a research capacity enhancement program, COBRAIN was a vigorous support to the national movement of slowing down the brain drain from Armenia to the Diaspora and encouraging the reverse flow of researchers back into Armenia.
In close cooperation with EKUT, RUB, and ULUND, as well as the International Advisory Board COBRAIN project developed and YSMU authorized bodies approved a set of regulatory documents and guidelines to be applied in the management of the new research infrastructure - “COBRAIN” Scientific-Educational Center for Fundamental Brain Research (COBRAIN Center / the Center). The Center was established by mobilizing the financial resources of HORIZON2020 “Armenia Center for Translational Research on Chronic Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Neuroscience Initiative on Maintaining Healthy Brain Ageing” (COBRAIN) project, the “SCIENTIFIC-EDUCATIONAL CENTER FOR FUNDAMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH” project of the Education programs PIU of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport under the Competitive Innovation Fund "Education Improvement" loan program co-financed by the World Bank and the basic financing programme of the RA Government. The successful implementation of these projects enabled YSMU to establish a unique research environment within the University where talented researchers were recruited and advanced research methods were introduced. Aiming to highlight the roles and to ensure the sustainability of COBRAIN and “Scientific-Educational Center for Fundamental Brain Research” projects the newly established research infrastructure was called “COBRAIN” SCIENTIFIC-EDUCATIONAL CENTER FOR FUNDAMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH.
The new generation of skilled early-stage researchers was built through long- and short-term training programmes organized in cooperation with leading partner institutions. COBRAIN early-stage researchers (ESR) improved their skills on basic and advanced techniques on isolation and characterization of cells, gDNA, mRNA isolation, Western blot, ELISA, qPCR technique, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent staining, etc. They developed professional and soft skills and competence for being hired in advanced research projects. Further, the continuous enrolment of ESRs will be ensured by the scholarship programme developed in the frames of COBRAIN.
The implementation of long-term training programmes culminated in the introduction of advanced research methods at the newly established research facility. The trainings were exemplified on performing isolation and characterization of migratory capacities of MSC from the wild type rats and eGFP mice, intranasal delivery of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), and a neuroprotective agent invented and produced by YSMU (a novel alpha 2 adrenoblocker mesedin) in transgenic AD and HD mouse and rat models.
The Knowledge and Technology Transfer Office was established within YSMU COBRAIN Center which has initiated the technology transfer practice in the University by pioneering the establishment of links with the industry.
COBRAIN increased the visibility of YSMU and the COBRAIN Center through getting involved in international activities and increasing the number of peer-reviewed publications in highly-ranked neuroscience and stem cell research journals parallel to increasing citations and improving the Impact Factor of the journals in which the papers were published.
The new generation of skilled early-stage researchers was built through long- and short-term training programmes organized in cooperation with leading partner institutions. COBRAIN early-stage researchers (ESR) improved their skills on basic and advanced techniques on isolation and characterization of cells, gDNA, mRNA isolation, Western blot, ELISA, qPCR technique, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent staining, etc. They developed professional and soft skills and competence for being hired in advanced research projects. Further, the continuous enrolment of ESRs will be ensured by the scholarship programme developed in the frames of COBRAIN.
The implementation of long-term training programmes culminated in the introduction of advanced research methods at the newly established research facility. The trainings were exemplified on performing isolation and characterization of migratory capacities of MSC from the wild type rats and eGFP mice, intranasal delivery of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), and a neuroprotective agent invented and produced by YSMU (a novel alpha 2 adrenoblocker mesedin) in transgenic AD and HD mouse and rat models.
The Knowledge and Technology Transfer Office was established within YSMU COBRAIN Center which has initiated the technology transfer practice in the University by pioneering the establishment of links with the industry.
COBRAIN increased the visibility of YSMU and the COBRAIN Center through getting involved in international activities and increasing the number of peer-reviewed publications in highly-ranked neuroscience and stem cell research journals parallel to increasing citations and improving the Impact Factor of the journals in which the papers were published.
The COBRAIN project enabled YSMU to enhance its research and innovation capacity and improve its international visibility by networking with the leading European institution. Having succeeded in this, the YSMU research management is committed to continue working towards consolidating its role in and having a significant and lasting impact on intensifying R&D ecosystem development in Armenia.
COBRAIN project's immediate results will contribute to a set of expected impacts as outlined in the Grant Agreement Annex 1 (2.1 EXPECTED IMPACTS). They lay a reliable background for generating the short-term and long-term impacts at the end of the project.
The improved research structure and policies will ensure YSMU’s opportunity to build expertise in the field of neuroprotective cell-based and drug therapies. The competitive generation of researchers with advanced capacities will promote the development of an attractive research profile of YSMU. The functioning technology transfer office with adopted policy for research commercialization will improve capability to compete successfully for competitive research funding for projects with the potential of product commercialization. The increased number of publications in highly ranked neuroscience and stem cell research journals will raise the visibility of the University and will improve its position in the leading world university ranking lists.
COBRAIN project's immediate results will contribute to a set of expected impacts as outlined in the Grant Agreement Annex 1 (2.1 EXPECTED IMPACTS). They lay a reliable background for generating the short-term and long-term impacts at the end of the project.
The improved research structure and policies will ensure YSMU’s opportunity to build expertise in the field of neuroprotective cell-based and drug therapies. The competitive generation of researchers with advanced capacities will promote the development of an attractive research profile of YSMU. The functioning technology transfer office with adopted policy for research commercialization will improve capability to compete successfully for competitive research funding for projects with the potential of product commercialization. The increased number of publications in highly ranked neuroscience and stem cell research journals will raise the visibility of the University and will improve its position in the leading world university ranking lists.