IMMUPARKNET
COST ACTION CA21117
Description of the Action
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a widespread chronic disease affecting 600 000 people in the EU. It has no cure, hence patients rely only on symptomatic treatments. By consequence PD relentlessly results in serious disability, poor quality of life for patients, families and caregivers, causing high individual and societal costs.
PD etiology is largely unexplained and several pathogenetic hypotheses have been explored. The role of the immune system has been suggested by important studies, showing significant changes in both central and peripheral immunity. Several approaches exist to target the immune system, thus – would the contribution of immunity in PD be clarified – novel therapeutics could be developed. Currently only few research groups study the role of the immune system in PD; however methodological and technical approaches are highly variable. Moreover, networking and exchange of expertise between groups working on immunity in different pathologies is still underdeveloped, with the consequence that precious advances are not fully exploited or even precluded. The sharing of experiences, also taking advantage of the efforts made in similar neurodegenerative conditions, will provide unprecedented advantages.
IMMUPARKNET focuses on such challenges and aims at establishing an innovative, multi-interdisciplinary Network, fostering exchange of expertise among outstanding experts, from different countries and institutions, involving scientists studying immunity in PD but also immunity in other neurodegenerative diseases. IMMUPARKNET will thus establish a first nucleus of a multidisciplinary ecosystem to fight the fragmentation of efforts and approaches, both in research and clinical practice, for boosting research towards the development of innovative treatments for PD.
ABOUT THE ACTION
Background
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a widespread chronic disease affecting 600 000 people in the EU. It has no cure, hence patients rely only on symptomatic treatments. By consequence PD relentlessly results in serious disability, poor quality of life for patients, families and caregivers, causing high individual and societal costs.
PD etiology is largely unexplained and several pathogenetic hypotheses have been explored. The role of the immune system has been suggested by important studies, showing significant changes in both central and peripheral immunity. Several approaches exist to target the immune system, thus – would the contribution of immunity in PD be clarified – novel therapeutics could be developed. Currently, only few research groups study the role of the immune system in PD; however methodological and technical approaches are highly variable. Moreover, networking and exchange of expertise between groups working on immunity in different pathologies is still underdeveloped, with the consequence that precious advances are not fully exploited or even precluded. The sharing of experiences, also taking advantage of the efforts made in similar neurodegenerative conditions, will provide unprecedented advantages.
About
Objectives
The main aim and objective of the IMMUPARKNET Action are to establish an European platform for the study of immunity in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and for the translation to the clinics of novel disease-modifying antiparkinson immunotherapeutics.
Research Coordination
- To define a common understanding regarding the immune profile of PD patients and its relationship with disease development and progression. This will entail also a consensus on the predictive value of in vitro and animal models, and on relevant molecular mechanisms and clinically meaningful PD biomarkers (WG1).
- To develop methodological/technical guidelines/protocols to assess the immune profile in PD, including valid laboratory cellular and animal models of the disease that truly resemble both the neurodegenerative and inflammatory profile of PD patients, to be used in the study of disease mechanisms and testing of therapeutic targets (WG2).
- To develop clinical study protocols to assess the role of immunity, including definition of primary and secondary endpoints/outcomes, sample size estimates, inclusion/exclusion criteria, other issues (WG3).
- To identify novel therapeutic targets in the immune system and to repurpose existing drugs to modulate the immune response as a novel disease-modifying strategy in PD (WG4).
Capacity Building
- To develop a web platform to make accessible IMMUPARKNET knowledge and outcomes. The platform will be populated during and after the Action.
- To establish training programmes and new educational pathways at the academic level for: a. Doctoral researchers, so as to train a new generation of researchers in the disciplinary fields at the core of IMMUPARKNET; b. Health practitioners/physicians. Training sessions (mainly webinars) will be offered.
- To mobilise a critical mass of experts and stakeholders, beyond those represented in the Network to ensure effective uptake and acceptance of developed results, through a wide set of mechanisms, such as the organisation of dedicated meetings, conferences, webinars to discuss and improve the quality of project findings.
