SOPHIA is a consortium of 17 ALS centres in Europe. The consortium aim to develop a common strategy for the prioritization and harmonization of biomarkers for ALS and neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, it aims to validate neurochemical biomarkers for monitoring disease activity, for generating earlier diagnoses and for defining prognosis.
The Dublin Brain Bank is a collaboration between the Neuropathology Department of Beaumont Hospital and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. It aims to facilitate an archive of brain tissue, which will help clinical and neuroscience researchers uncover potential cures for neurological diseases.
As part of the BIOMARKPD initiative the Irish Network for Biomarkers in Neurodegeneration (IN-BIND) was established. It is a research infrastructure aimed at creating a functional network for clinical and laboratory based scientists working in this area. Similar to BIOMARKPD, the aims of IN-BIND are the standardisation of biomarker measurement across Ireland and Europe to include i) sample collection, ii) measurement, iii) and interpretation.
Funded by the Atlantic Philantropies and supported by the Department of Health, Creating Excellence in Dementia Care: A Research Reivew for Ireland’s National Dementia Stratergy presents key findings emerging from a research review conducted to inform the development of Ireland’s future National Dementia Strategy.
NILVAD is a European multicentre double-blind placebo-controlled phase III trial of nilvadipine in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. It represents 17 partners from 11 different countries and 23 different clinical trial sites. This 5 year double-blind placebo controlled study will test the efficacy and safety of nilvadipine in 500 subjects with mild to moderate AD over a treatment period of 18 months
BIOMARKAPD is a multi-national research project comprising 51 sites in 21 countries, including Ireland. This JPND (joint programme on neurodegenerative diseases) funded collaborative research project aims to develop optimally informative biomarkers for AD and PD and the harmonisation of their use. The Irish strand of BIOMARKPD aims to; standardise biomarker measurement and interpretation nationally; develop and make available a CSF test for ND biomarkers in AD and PD; Establish and sustain a registry of ND; and bring clarity to biomarker interpretation to support diagnosis.