Descripción del proyecto
Un nuevo tratamiento contra la lesión encefálica hipóxica
La encefalopatía isquémica hipóxica (EIH o HIE, por sus siglas en inglés) es una lesión encefálica que se produce cuando el encéfalo del recién nacido no recibe una cantidad suficiente de oxígeno. La EIH se asocia con una mortalidad elevada o con trastornos neurológicos permanentes, entre los que se incluye la parálisis cerebral y la epilepsia. El proyecto financiado con fondos europeos OxyBaby tiene por objeto investigar el potencial de actuar sobre el inflamasoma como estrategia terapéutica para revertir las lesiones encefálicas hipóxicas. Usando modelos preclínicos de la enfermedad y técnicas imagenológicas avanzadas, los científicos evaluarán la eficacia de diversos inhibidores sobre la neuroinflamación. Los resultados servirán como base para hacer avanzar las estrategias actuales de cuidados clínicos para los lactantes con EIH.
Objetivo
Following 4.5 years abroad I hope to work as a MSCA Fellow to tackle the issue of deleterious neuroinflammation following hypoxic injury in newborns. Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) describes brain injury that occurs when an infant’s brain does not receive enough oxygen & blood. Approximately 15-25% of patients die, 1 in 4 develop severe and permanent neurological disorders including, Cerebral Palsy & later-life Epilepsy. There are currently no successful treatment options & HIE has withstood attempts to improve outcome. A critical immune complex, the inflammasome was discovered in 2002 that senses ‘danger’ & processes potent inflammatory cytokines to bioactive forms. I have generated novel data demonstrating a role for the inflammasome & specifically targeting it for treatment of hypoxic brain injury. This study advances this by assessing the exact contribution of its activity on a cellular level & temporally targeting the complex as a novel treatment. I will employ established preclinical models of hypoxic brain injury, advanced imaging techniques (2- photon) & novel small molecule inhibitors of the complex. I will work at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) with supervisor Prof David Henshall, Director of the FutureNeuro Centre, a multi-institutional national centre for chronic & rare neurological disease research. Ultimately, our proposal will aid design & improvement of current clinical care strategies for infant patients with HIE. I will work with top neuroscientists within FutureNeuro & Europe (Prof Mallard, Sweden), the leading inflammasome company, Inflazome & its CSO Prof O’ Neill and Neonatologists including Prof Murray (Cork, Ireland). My collaboration with these leaders across multiple sectors will expand my competencies/transferable skills & allow advanced multidisciplinary training from experts. All of these will combine to leave me well-placed to provide meaningful contributions to Europe’s competitiveness and growth in the future.
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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinador
2 Dublin
Irlanda