VASCO PROJECT

FRRB Project 1739635 - Functional and structural cerebrovascular alterations in neurological disorders: the role of complement

 

Name and Surname of PI

Stefano Fumagalli

Project Acronym

VASCO

Project ID

1739635

Host Institution

Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri" IRCCS - Milan

Pathology of Interest

Cerebrovascular Diseases

Research Area

Neurology

Project Start Date

1 June 2021

Project End Date

31 May 2024

Funding

€ 574.291,20

Type of Project

Individual

PROJECT SUMMARY

Alterations of cerebral vasculature underline brain damage and cognitive decline in acute and chronic brain diseases. The complement system (CS) is an inflammatory reaction. It has many known roles in the brain, from development to diseased states. The CS may change throughout life, since it is influenced by phenotypic and genetic factors. Grounding on the original hypothesis that the CS contributes to neurodegeneration through enhanced inflammation and vascular dysfunctions, VASCO proposes to identify specific CS molecular fingerprints of pathologically altered brain vasculature and how they evolve over time. To this task, we will use human derived endothelial cell cultures and experimental models of ischemic stroke and Alzheimer’s disease, thus studying acute and chronic neurodegenerative conditions. VASCO envisages to foster innovation in precision medicine, offering markers for the definition of at risk profile for cerebrovascular conditions.