International programme seeks innovative health tech solutions

News

Author: Saskia MairPublished: 11 June 2020

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Zambon Open Accelerator 2019 awards ceremony

Open Accelerator, an international programme supporting digital healthcare technologies that improve patient experience, has launched its 2020 ‘Call for Solutions’.

Created by Zcube, the research venture of Italian pharmaceutical company Zambon, the accelerator focuses on four key areas: ‘digital prevention, monitoring and therapeutics’, ‘digital diagnostics’, ‘virtual health’ and ‘clinical trials digitalisation’. Successful applicants will take part in a four-week programme, and could win up to EUR €100,000 seed investment for their project. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, a ‘Special Challenge’ will be dedicated to new forms of communication in healthcare.

Elena Zambon, creator of the programme said: “Digital solutions have never been such a vital support for patients and caregivers as they have at this time.

“This programme is yet another way in which we are pursuing with conviction our commitment to improving patients’ lives, integrating cure and care with a multidisciplinary approach.”

Submissions are open until 20 July 2020. To find out more about how to apply visit the Open Accelerator website.

For more information on the latest Parkinson’s research please visit the EPDA website.

Diesel exhaust fumes may increase the risk of Parkinson’s, study suggests

Last Month

Next Month

Go Back

Share this story

Comments

Global update

Win a free copy of ‘Faces of Parkinson’s’ book by sharing #UniteForParkinsons

Competition time! Spread the word about #UniteForParkinsons on social media

Parkinson’s poetry competition sparks emotional response

Thank you for your submissions!

Caring and sharing – the importance of learning to let it out

Why good communication is essential in families affected by Parkinson's

New evidence fruit compound could support Parkinson’s disease treatment

A new study from researchers in the US and South Korea suggests farnesol, a natural compound found in fruit, may be beneficial in treating Parkinson’s disease. The team used mice models to test the compound’s role in deactivating PARIS – a protein which can contribute to Parkinson’s onset by reducing the shields around dopamine-producing neurons. For one week, they fed mice a diet containing farnesol and compared them with mice who were fed a normal diet. They then administered the mice with alpha-synuclein protein linked to Parkinson’s effects in the brain. The findings revealed that the mice that had consumed farnesol had twice the number of healthy dopamine neurons as the control group, and performed better in tests designed to assess Parkinson’s symptoms. The researchers concluded that, while safe doses for humans have not yet been determined, “farnesol may be beneficial in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease”.

Turmeric oil may offer new ways of treating Parkinson’s disease

Turmeric oil may be beneficial in treating Parkinson’s disease, according to researchers from Kumamoto University in Japan. Their findings support the known properties of aromatic turmerone (ar-turmerone), a compound found in turmeric essential oil, which reduces inflammatory responses caused by cells associated with Parkinson’s-related neurodegeneration. Using midbrain slice cultures – laboratory cellular models that mimic brain activity – the team analysed the effects of a natural form of aromatic turmerone and eight structurally similar derivatives. They tested the derivatives’ anti-inflammatory effects, as well as their ability to protect dopamine-producing neurons. Those with the strongest anti-inflammatory effects were found to prevent the loss of dopamine-producing neurons. Among these were aromatic turmerone and its derivatives, suggesting their role as a “potential candidate for treating Parkinson’s disease”. In a press release, lead author Takahiro Seki said: “Our study elucidated a new mechanism by which ar-turmerone and its derivatives directly protect … [dopamine-producing] neurons.”

Research offers new insights on a cause of Parkinson’s disease

Researchers in Denmark have shared insights on a cause of up to 95% of Parkinson’s disease cases. Using data on gene patterns and three mouse models, scientists at the University of Copenhagen found that a blockage to a pathway regulating mitochondria (‘powerhouses’ that generate energy for reactions in cells) causes a form of the condition known as ‘sporadic Parkinson’s disease’. When the pathway becomes blocked by a protein, damaged mitochondria accumulate, unable to produce enough energy – which in turn causes nerve cells to die. “Just like when people eat, cells take what they need and get rid of … waste products,” explained corresponding study author Professor Shohreh Issazadeh-Navikas. “But if our brain cells have this specific kind of signalling blockage, it means that the powerhouse of the cell – mitochondria – cannot get cleaned up after being damaged.” The team now plan to investigate the pathway’s role in neuronal…

All fields required

First name*
Last name*
Email address*
Enter Email Confirm Email
Country of residence*
About me*
- I have Parkinson's disease
- I am a partner / carer / family / friend of someone who has Parkinson's
- I am a healthcare professional with an interest in Parkinson's
- I work for a Parkinson's disease organisation
- Other
CAPTCHA
*
- By proceeding you agree to our
Comments
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

International programme seeks innovative health tech solutions

News

Author: Saskia MairPublished: 11 June 2020

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Global update

Win a free copy of ‘Faces of Parkinson’s’ book by sharing #UniteForParkinsons

Global update

Parkinson’s poetry competition sparks emotional response

Health & Fitness

Caring and sharing – the importance of learning to let it out

New evidence fruit compound could support Parkinson’s disease treatment

Turmeric oil may offer new ways of treating Parkinson’s disease

Research offers new insights on a cause of Parkinson’s disease

{title}

Subscribe

International programme seeks innovative health tech solutions

News

Author: Saskia MairPublished: 11 June 2020

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Related articles

Global update

Win a free copy of ‘Faces of Parkinson’s’ book by sharing #UniteForParkinsons

Global update

Parkinson’s poetry competition sparks emotional response

Health & Fitness

Caring and sharing – the importance of learning to let it out

New evidence fruit compound could support Parkinson’s disease treatment

Turmeric oil may offer new ways of treating Parkinson’s disease

Research offers new insights on a cause of Parkinson’s disease

{title}

Subscribe

Sign in