The prize, with 10,000 euros, has been awarded ex aequo to a study on brain magnetic resonance imaging as a biomarker of ALS, developed by the University Hospital of Navarra in collaboration with Navarrabiomed, and an application designed by the University Clinic of Navarra to monitor the treatment of food allergies with oral immunotherapy.
 

The Scientific Directorate of IdiSNA has decided to grant the Technology and Health Foundation (FTyS) award ex aequo, with 10,000 euros, to two projects related to health technologies. The different entities that make up IdiSNA were able to apply for this award through an intramural call.
Dr. Teresa Cabada, Head of the Neuroradiology Section of the University Hospital of Navarra, leads one of the winning proposals. A study on brain magnetic resonance as a biomarker in degenerative motor neuron disease. As described by Cabada, “Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease whose diagnosis is difficult at an early stage, which translates into a delayed diagnosis and delayed administration of neuroprotective drugs”. All this highlights the importance of defining diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in ALS.

To date, 33 patients have been recruited who have undergone a clinical and neuropsychological evaluation. The post-processing of the MRI is carried out by the Algebra and Applications Research Unit of Navarrabiomed, which analyses the images along with other clinical variables to find radiological markers associated with the disease or its evolution. "By using advanced sequencing techniques, mathematicians are able to detect subtle alterations and generate predictive models from the data obtained”, it concludes.

With this project, funded by the Government of Navarra and which now also has financial support from IdiSNA, magnetic resonance imaging is postulated as a promising test to predict the disease and its evolution.
The second acknowledgement has been awarded to an initiative of the University of Navarra Clinic. It is an application to monitor the treatment of food allergies with oral immunotherapy led by Dr. María José Goikoetxea, specialist of the Department of Allergology.
 

Caption (from left to right): Itiziar Uzqueda (Navarrabiomed), Marisol Gómez (Navarrabiomed), Javier Díaz (HUN), Ivonne Jericó (HUN), Juan Quizhpilema (HUN) Teresa Cabada (HUN), José Manuel Hidalgo (HUN), María José Goikoetxea (CUN), Sergio Sánchez (CUN), Maite Lacunza (CUN) and Amaia Izal ( CUN).