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H2020Doctoral network2017–2021

SYNDEGEN · Synaptic dysfunction in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2017-01-01 → 2021-06-30
EU contribution
€3,129,428
Participants
14
Scheme
MSCA-ITN-ETN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Synaptic dysfunction in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are a growing health, social and financial burden on societies but so far preclinical research has not been successful in translating to new therapies that can slow disease progression of NDDs. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects over 5 million Europeans, and costs the EU in excess of 55 billion € per year. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is affecting over 500 000 individuals in Europe. Huntington’s disease (HD) has a prevalence of 7 afflicted individuals among 100 000. Currently, these diseases lack a curative treatment. Accumulating evidence points to synapses as sites of early dysfunction and aberrant protein misfolding, aggregation and spread in AD, PD and HD. A key problem in research on NDDs has been that the normal physiological roles at synapses of the aggregation-prone proteins, which are linked pathologically and genetically to these diseases, are not known. The SYNDEGEN consortium aims to bring together leading experts in the EU to determine the molecular and cellular mechanisms whereby synapses become dysfunctional in AD, PD and HD for the purpose of developing novel therapies. The goal of the consortium is to train talented young scientists in interdisciplinary, innovative and collaborative research aimed at the development of novel molecular based treatment strategies. A gap in the training of students in these important diseases is that disease expertise and novel methods to study and pharmacologically target synapses are localized in isolated groups in different locations in the EU. This training programme will be implemented in 6 academic centres and 1 SME representing a comprehensive, highly interactive and multidisciplinary partnership. The main objectives of the program are: • Elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms whereby aberrant age-related misfolding of disease-linked proteins cause early synaptic dysfunction • Develop strategies of intervention based on early synaptic dysfunction by modulating the synaptic circuitry and function with pharmacological agents, novel antibodies or genetic treatments • Innovative training of a next generation of dedicated EU biomedical scientists to develop curative therapies for these major diseases of the brain

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) of aging are a growing burden on societies. Although studies on the degeneration of neurons have been a main focus of research, increasing evidence points to synapses as the site where Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Huntington’s disease (HD) begin. There is growing evidence that synapses are sites of early and aberrant protein misfolding, aggregation and spread in NDDs. A key problem in research on NDDs has been that the normal physiological roles at synapses of the aggregation-prone proteins (β- amyloid/amyloid precursor protein, tau, α-synuclein and huntingtin), which are linked pathologically and genetically to these diseases, are not known. Using cutting-edge technologies and multidisciplinary approaches the SYNDEGEN consortium aims to bring together leading experts in cell biology, synapse biology and imaging, stem cell biology and NDDs in Europe to determine the molecular and cellular mechanisms whereby synapses become dysfunctional in AD, PD and HD for the purpose of developing novel therapies. The goal of the consortium is to train talented young scientists in interdisciplinary, innovative and collaborative research aimed at the development of novel molecular based treatment strategies for these major diseases of aging. A gap in the training of students in these important diseases is that disease expertise and novel methods to study synapses are localized in isolated groups in different locations in the EU. Similar questions are being asked about the mechanisms of synaptic dysfunction in AD, PD and HD, but no one university or company has sufficiently broad knowledge and technical expertise required to study and develop therapies for synaptic dysfunction in these disorders. This training programme will be implemented in 6 academic centres and 2 SMEs representing a comprehensive, highly interactive and multidisciplinary partnership.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • LUNDS UNIVERSITET · LundCoordinatorSweden
  • CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS · ParisFrance
  • DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR NEURODEGENERATIVE ERKRANKUNGEN EV · BonnGermany
  • ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE · LausanneSwitzerland
  • EXPLORA NOVA SARL · LA ROCHELLEFrance
  • H. LUNDBECK AS · ValbyDenmark
  • NEUROPROOF GMBH · ROSTOCKGermany
  • REGION SKANE · KRISTIANSTADSweden
  • SWEDISH PARKINSON FOUNDATION · StockholmSweden
  • THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE · CAMBRIDGEUnited Kingdom
  • UMEA UNIVERSITET · UMEASweden
  • UMECRINE AB · UMEASweden
  • UNIVERSITAET ULM · UlmGermany
  • UNIVERSITAETSMEDIZIN GOETTINGEN - GEORG-AUGUST-UNIVERSITAET GOETTINGEN - STIFTUNG OEFFENTLICHEN RECHTS · GoettingenGermany

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union