{"id":7633,"date":"2019-07-19T15:02:19","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T15:02:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/website.prod.unilu.spikeseed.cloud\/en\/news\/luxembourg-parkinsons-study-funded-with-an-additional-6-million-euros\/"},"modified":"2019-07-19T15:02:19","modified_gmt":"2019-07-19T15:02:19","slug":"luxembourg-parkinsons-study-funded-with-an-additional-6-million-euros","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.uni.lu\/en\/news\/luxembourg-parkinsons-study-funded-with-an-additional-6-million-euros\/","title":{"rendered":"Luxembourg Parkinson\u2019s Study funded with an additional 6 million euros"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) has committed an additional 6 million euros to National Centre for Excellence in Research on Parkinson\u2019s Disease (NCER-PD), paving the way for the second phase of this collaborative research programme.<\/p>

The\u00a0NCER-PD<\/a> was established in 2015 as the first inter-institutional research programme of its kind in Luxembourg. It is a joint effort between five partners* uniting their complementary expertise in Parkinson\u2019s disease. The\u00a0FNR<\/a> committed 8.3 million euros for the first four years of the research programme. At the end of this first funding period, the programme has been evaluated with outstanding scores by an international jury of experts. This paved the way for its second phase, which lasts until May 2023.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>

NCER-PD aims to understand the mechanism of Parkinson\u2019s disease to enable an earlier diagnosis and to develop better treatments for the patients.<\/p>

Marc Schiltz, Secretary General of the FNR states: \u201cThe National Centre of Excellence in Research on Parkinson\u2019s Disease is a wonderful example of how research in Luxembourg can achieve outstanding international visibility and at the same time produce a direct impact on healthcare, by bringing together patients, researchers, doctors, and healthcare professionals.\u201d<\/p>

A large-scale and unique research study<\/strong><\/p>

To achieve its objective, NCER-PD set itself an impressive goal: to include 800 Parkinson\u2019s patients, hence almost all of the estimated 1000 people affected by this disease in Luxembourg, as well as having a similarly structured control group of 800 people without Parkinson\u2019s. As of July 2019, this goal was nearly met, with some 1400 persons being part of the study.<\/p>

After four years only, the Luxembourg Parkinson\u2019s Study belongs to the largest Parkinson\u2019s cohorts worldwide. What makes the Luxembourgish cohort unique: all patients are being followed up annually over the years, giving the researchers unprecedented information about the disease\u2019s progression.<\/p>

Initial NCER-PD research projects that study the molecular content of the blood as well as microbial composition and function in the gut show differences between people with and without Parkinson\u2019s disease. As a next step, these first promising results need to be evaluated for use in the clinic as diagnostic biomarkers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

Patient empowerment as a key element <\/strong><\/p>

NCER-PD strives to already give an immediate return to the patients. Patient empowerment is hence a key element of the study. \u201cThrough communication campaigns and close collaboration with patient associations in Luxembourg and the Greater Region, we informed patients, but also the general public, about the disease, its treatment options and current state of research. This plays an important role in reducing stigmatisation of people with this chronic disease\u201d, says Prof. Rejko Kr\u00fcger, Coordinator of NCER-PD.<\/p>

Over the last four years, NCER-PD has successfully worked together with doctors, psychologists, nurses, biomedical and computational scientists. By creating ParkinsonNet<\/a>, an integrated care programme for Parkinson\u2019s Disease based on a Dutch concept, multidisciplinary teams now also come to action in healthcare, for the sole benefit of the patients. Hopeful that these concepts could soon also be applied to other disease areas in Luxembourg, Kr\u00fcger says: \u201cThe very positive development of NCER-PD is a great opportunity, as Luxembourg can serve as the testbed for the medicine of the future, for novel and more personalised therapies.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cThe disease has changed my life,\u201d says Corinne Trivaudey, a patient involved in the study. \u201cNevertheless, it was nearly a relief to hear a diagnosis from the neurologist, because I finally knew what I was suffering from. Medication treats only fifty percent of the effects of the disease. I relieve some effects by physical activities. I hope the study will receive enough patients and volunteers to continue.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m joining this call. We must overcome this disease together, not hide it, “said Gerard Zoller, Rotary club member and volunteer in the control group. \u201cThe tests are not painful or invasive for volunteers, and it’s time well used. Do not hesitate to volunteer or encourage people around you to participate.\u201d<\/p>

Focus on patient stratification and therapies in the second phase<\/strong><\/p>

The second four-year funding period will mainly build upon the obtained findings and scientific results, with a focus on these developments:<\/p>