Foundation for Alzheimer's research awards record amount of 5m euros to projects
Stopalzheimer, the Belgian foundation for Alzheimer's research, has at a ceremony in Leuven awarded a record amount of more than 5 million euros to 23 research projects. The projects focus on new therapies, better diagnostics and a deeper understanding of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
Stopalzheimer funds scientific research into the causes, prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. The 23 projects were selected after a thorough international evaluation process by independent experts and Stopalzheimer's Scientific Advisory Board. The jury assessed each dossier on its scientific quality and potential impact on patients and their loved ones.
“This record amount reflects a growing awareness in society of the enormous impact of Alzheimer's,” stated Joost Martens, director of Stopalzheimer. “Today, we are investing in ideas that could make a difference tomorrow: from early detection to new treatments that can slow down or even stop the disease."
Thirteen projects, proposed by established researchers, each receive a grant of 300,000 euros for a three-year research period. In addition, Emanuela Pasciuto from the University of Antwerp gets an extra grant of 50,000 euros as the winner of the Young Researcher Award. Ten projects, proposed by young researchers, receive a grant of 110,000 euros for a two-year research period.
Many of the projects will be carried out at KU Leuven and VIB-KU Leuven, reaffirming Leuven's status as an international hotspot for dementia research. Prof. Koen Van Laere of KU Leuven, for example, receives 300,000 euros for a project using ultra-high-resolution PET scans to visualise the earliest brain changes in Alzheimer's disease.
#FlandersNewsService | Illustration © PHOTO SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY RF
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