News
The entire GABO:mi team is very pleased of the start of our new projects, which we have successfully applied for with our partners at the EC:
On 1 February 2012, the European research project EuroHYP-1 started. The project is a large, multicentre clinical trial which will assess mild hypothermia as a novel treatment for ischemic stroke and is coordinated by Prof. Stefan Schwab at the Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Germany. The project includes 35 European partners and one international partner organization from Australia. It will be funded by the European Commission over the duration of five years with 10.9 million Euros. GABO:mi has successfully supported EuroHYP-1 from the proposal phase on.
Stroke is the second cause of death world-wide and the second cause of lost disability-adjusted life years in high-income countries. Stroke incidence rises exponentially with age, so its social and economic burden will grow with the ageing of the European population. Systematic review of experimental studies suggests that hypothermia is the most promising intervention identified to date. Therapeutic cooling is effective in reducing ischaemic brain injury following cardiac arrest, and hypothermia is therefore considered by experts the most promising treatment for patients with acute ischaemic stroke, next to reperfusion strategies.
The EuroHYP-1 trial is a pan-European, open, randomised, phase III clinical trial which will assess the benefit or harm of therapeutic cooling in 1500 awake adult patients with acute ischaemic stroke. The investigators involved in the EuroHYP-1 consortium are leading European experts in statistical design and analysis, therapeutic hypothermia, imaging, health economics, ultrasound, biomarkers, and trial execution (implementation and monitoring); furthermore, the consortium involves European patient and family advocacy groups and small and medium-size enterprises, in order to ensure the successful enrolment of patients and the data analysis.
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On 1 January 2012 the European research project DORIAN (Developmental Origins of healthy and unhealthy Ageing: the role of maternal obesity) was started, coordinated by the Institute of Clinical Physiology-CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche in Pisa, Italy. Dr. Patricia Iozzo and her team were successfully supported by GABO:mi from the proposal stage onwards. The European Commission funds DORIAN for 3 years, with an amount of 3 million Euros.
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This multidisciplinary project will generate a better understanding of the basic mechanisms of early life development and ageing, which may translate into the improvement of health and quality of life during the entire life course. In particular, the Consortium of DORIAN will investigate and analyze the impacts of maternal obesity on the way of ageing and its associated degenerative pathologies in the offspring through the duration of life.
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On 1 January 2012 the European research project EUROFORGEN-NoE (European Forensic Genetics Network of Excellence) started. The project is led and coordinated by the University of Cologne/Institute of Legal Medicine, Prof. Peter Schneider. Its consortium consists of 12 European partners and involves outstanding and well-known scientists within the field of forensic genetics, aiming for the initiation of a sustainable Network of Excellence. GABO:mi supported the consortium successfully during the proposal phase. The project will run for 5 years and is funded by the European Commission with an amount of 6.6 million Euros.
On 1 January 2012 the international European research project NILVAD (A European multicentre double-blind placebo-controlled phase III trial of nilvadipine in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease) started, coordinated by the Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Ireland. Prof. Brian Lawlor and his team were already successfully supported by GABO:mi during the proposal stage. The European Commission funds NILVAD for 5 years, with an amount of 6 million Euros. more
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an ever-increasing public health concern among the aging population and is the most common form of dementia affecting more than 15 million individuals worldwide and around 5 million Europeans. The direct and indirect costs of AD and other dementias amount to more than €440,000 million each year (www.alz.org, 2010).
There is therefore an imperative to develop new treatments for AD that have disease modifying effects. NILVAD performs a double-blind placebo controlled study that will test the efficacy and safety of nilvadipine in 500 subjects with mild to moderate AD over a treatment period of 18 months. Male and female patients with mild to moderate AD aged between 50 and 90 with a range of medical morbidities and frailty will be included in the study. If this trial is successful, nilvadipine would represent an advance in the treatment of AD patients and would have a major impact on the health and social care costs incurred in Europe by this neurodegenerative disorder.
On 1 January 2012 the international European research project DITAC (Disaster Training Curriculum) started, coordinated by the Universitaetsklinikum Bonn. Dr. Philipp Fischer and his team were already successfully supported by GABO:mi during the proposal stage. The European Commission funds DITAC for 3 years, with an amount of 4 million Euros.
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A European multi-disciplinary team of experts is collaborating to develop a standardised curriculum for international crises management hereby referred to as DITAC. The DITAC project aims to develop a holistic and highly structured curriculum for first responders and strategic crisis managers that are tasked in dealing with disasters on a national and international scale. The curriculum will tackle dynamic challenges facing disaster incident managers in order to enhance the efficiency, efficacy, coordination, coherence and appropriateness of their response efforts. These skills are crucial because of an alarming increase in the frequency, intensity and complexity of disasters while governments are simultaneously facing budgetary constraints on humanitarian aid due to overwhelming sovereign debt. less
The European research project WAKE-UP (Efficacy and safety of MRI-based thrombolysis in wake-up stroke: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial) started on 1 December 2011. The project is coordinated by the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Prof. Christian Gerloff. GABO:mi already supported the consortium successfully during the proposal phase. The consortium consist of 13 European partners and will run for 5 years. The European Commission funds the project with an amount of 12 million Euros.
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The objective of the research proposed in the WAKE-UP project is to provide expanded treatment options for acute stroke improving the outcome of stroke patients, thus reducing the burden of stroke. For this purpose, WAKE-UP will conduct an investigator-initiated multicentre randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial designed to test efficacy and safety of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based intravenous thrombolysis in patients waking up with stroke symptoms or patients with unknown symptom onset.
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On 1 November 2011, the European research project EpiPGX (Epilepsy Pharmacogenomics: delivering biomarkers for clinical use) started, coordinated by the University College London. Professor Sanjay Sisodiya and his team were already successfully supported by GABO:mi during the proposal stage. The European Commission funds EpiPGX for 4 years, with an amount of 6 million Euros.
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The purpose of EpiPGX is to identify genome-based biomarkers for use in clinical practice to individualise treatment of epilepsy, and stratify patients for clinical trials, aiming to avoid chronicity, prevent relapse and reduce adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The project will use genome-wide analyses, including next-generation sequencing, in large, well-phenotyped patient cohorts to identify genome-based biomarkers, to improve use of current antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and identify new therapy targets. SMEs, which are central to this project, will be able to take the data forward for development of clinical tests.
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On 1 October 2011, the research project DEM-CHILD (A Treatment-Oriented Research Project of NCL Disorders as a Major Cause of Dementia in Childhood) started. The consortium is led by Dr Angela Schulz, University-Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf and consists of 10 international partners. The outstanding aspect of this project is the collaboration with a partner in India where dementia in childhood is as critical an issue as in Europe. GABO:mi supported the consortium successfully during the proposal phase, and is now an active partner taking care of all project management tasks. The project duration is 3 years and the funding by the European Commission amounts to 3 million Euros.
The FP7 project EuroSkinGraft started on 1 October 2011 and is coordinated by the University Zurich. The project deals with a novel generation of skin substitutes to clinically treat broad spectrum of severe skin defects. GABO:mi is the project management partner, who has successfully accompanied the consortium through the proposal phase. The consortium consists of 7 European partners and is funded for 5 years with an amount of 6 million Euros by the European Commission.
Report on skin grafting on Swiss TV 
TV broadcast
Together with some researchers of the project CARDIORISK, we managed to win a grant for a follow-up project. The project ProCardio deals with cardiovascular Risk from Exposure to Low-dose and Low-dose-rate Ionizing Radiation. ProCardio is coordinated by Prof. Michael J. Atkinson, Helmholtz Zentrum for Environmental Health Munich. The project is due to start on 1 October 2011. For a period of three years, we support the researchers in project management and the development of a website.
In the last Calls of FP7, we were very successful. Currently, we are in contract negotiations with 11 projects. Among these, 6 coordinating institutions are located in Germany:
- Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, D (two projects)
- Klinikum der Universität zu Köln, D
- Universitätsklinikum Bonn, D
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, D
- Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, D
- University College London, UK
- King‘s College London, IoP, UK
- Trinity College Dublin, IR
- Universität Zürich, CH
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pisa, I
This impressive result is best proof and evidence for a winning team. In twofold dimension: on the one hand, a successful team together with the researchers and on the other hand, a committed project management team. We are proud of actively supporting the European Idea and spirit of research!
Four of these eleven projects have already carried out successful PR work:
- Trinity College Dublin: "Clinical Trials for New Alzheimer's Disease Treatment to be Awarded European Commission €6 million Funding" press release press release Alzheimer Research Forum
- Universität Zürich: Report on skin grafting (Project EuroSkinGraft) on Swiss TV TV broadcast
- Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf: Report on stroke (Project Wake-up) on German TV TV broadcast
- Universitätsklinikum Erlangen: Report on hypothermia (Project EuroHyp) on German TV TV broadcast
PREDI-NU – Continuation of a success story
Together with the researchers of the project EAAD (European Alliance Against Depression), we managed to win a grant for a follow-up project. The project PREDI-NU (Preventing Depression and Improving Awareness through Networking in the EU) deals with the improvement of education and the prevention of depressions. The main objective is the development of an Internet-based self-management platform for young people with mild depressions. The project is due to start on 1 September 2011. For a period of three years, we support the researchers in project management, development of a website and an IT-platform.
On 1 January 2011, our second IMI JU – project (Innovative Medicines Initiative) OncoTrack, led by Dr David Henderson, Bayer Schering Pharma AG and Prof. Hans Lehrach, Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics started. Over the next five years, in total 18 renowned universities, biotech companies and European pharmaceutical companies join forces for the research of biomarkers in the field of cancers, in order to better adjust therapies for the patient.
In the course of the next 5 years, ENS@T-CANCER (European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumours – Structuring clinical research on adrenal cancers in adults) takes care of research on adrenal gland cancer. This type of cancer is a rare cancer with very poor prognosis. The diagnosis usually happens that late, that tumour cells have already started settling on neighbouring organs. The European Commission funds this project with an amount of 6 million Euros.
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In the next 5 years, the ENS@T-CANCER consortium will develop new methods for the diagnosis and treatment of adrenal cancer. At the same time, a network of treatment centres is to be established via ENS@T-CANCER, in order to provide the most current and modern methods to the patients. It is the international cooperation that enables the research on such types of rare cancer.
The scientific coordinator of this project is Prof. Felix Beuschlein, of the Ludwigs-Maximilian-Universität (LMU) in Munich. Besides GABO:mi as project management partner, there are another 13 partners in this project.
Coordinated by Dr. Sascha Sauer of the Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Genetics, ESGI (European Sequencing and Genotyping Infrastructure) will develop a European infrastructure for DNA sequencing and genotyping. ESGI will provide access to top-notch DNA-sequencing establishments, with a total budget of 10 million Euros.
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Over the last 30 years, there was massive progress in the field of biomedical research. At the same time, costs dropped dramatically. The quality of sequencing methods was increased. In the meantime, genomes can be examined entirely and molecular networks can be analysed efficiently. ESGI will support Europe in becoming the leading region in genetic research. For more information: www.esgi-infrastructure.eu
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The FP7 project “The HIP Trial" started on 1 October 2010 and is coordinated by the University College Cork in Ireland. GABO:mi is the project management partner, who has successfully accompanied the consortium through the proposal phase. The consortium consists of 13 European and Canadian partners and is funded for 5 years with an amount of 5,7 million Euros by the European Commission.
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HIP (Management of Hypotension In the Preterm Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborn) is a clinical trial, in which better therapies for preterm births are developed. According to conservative studies, about half of all preterm births suffer from too low blood pressure. This condition often leads to brain damage, disturbance of the neuronal development with a livelong disability as a consequence and is further associated with an increased mortality. It is the aim of the study to develop efficient medicines, which do not only increase the babies' chances of survival, but also protects them from long-term disabilities. less
On 1 November 2010, the international European research project INTRICATE (Infection triggers of chronic autoimmunity) started, coordinated by the Medical University Vienna. Prof Dr Kain and her team were already successfully supported by GABO:mi through the proposal phase. The European Commission funds INTRICATE for four years, with an amount of 6 million Euros.
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INTRICATE is a unique project which brings together renowned scientists from various academic institutions and SME's, of whole Europe and the USA. The project should find out the links between infections and autoimmune diseases. INTRICATE examines the connection between specific infections and the autoimmune disease "Systemic Vasculitis", which is characterized by an inflammatory destruction of the blood cells, arteries and veins. The results of INTRICATE should then be translated into clinical applications. That way, it will be possible to make predictions and to carry out monitoring of the inflammatory processes which trigger Systemic Vasculitis.
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