Noticias

• The project, which also involves researchers from Navarrabiomed and IdiSNA, will be carried out in collaboration with hospitals from a further three autonomous communities.

Researchers from the Hospital Universitario de Navarra (HUN) will coordinate a transversal, multicentre study of early-onset gastrointestinal cancer, considered to be that diagnosed in young patients (less than 50 years of age), in whom the incidence of this type of cancer has increased alarmingly over the past few decades. 

Gastrointestinal cancer included, amongst others, colorectal, gastric and pancreatic tumours, which in Spain are the second, fourth and seventh leading causes of cancer-related death, respectively. In Navarra, colorectal cancer was the second most common tumour last year in both males and females, according to data released this week by the Cancer registry of the Institute for Public and Occupational Health of Navarra (ISPLN) on the world day for that disease, which is held next Sunday (4th February).

The project has been funded via the IdiSNA as part of the R&D&i 2023 call for proposals from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III aimed at healthcare research projects and is headed by the researcher Maria Alsina, a specialist in the Medical Oncology department at the HUN and head of the Translational Medical Oncology Unit at Navarrabiomed, where she is funded by the intensification program set up by the Fundación “la Caixa”, and member of the Oncobiona group at IdiSNA. 

Researchers from Navarrabiomed and IdiSNA are also participating in the study, which is carried out in cooperation with the different departments at the HUN involved in the management of gastrointestinal cancer, namely Anatomical Pathology, Surgery, Digestive, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Radiation Oncology and Radiology. Three healthcare centres from neighbouring autonomous communities, namely the Hospital Universitario Donostia, Hospital Miguel Servet (Zaragoza) and Hospital San Pedro (Logroño), are also collaborating with the study. 

The main objective of the study is to identify the differentiating characteristics of early-onset gastrointestinal cancer in comparison with the later-onset type, both overall, combining the three types of tumours, and for each one separately. To that end, a global approach that includes parameters concerning both the patient’s environment and the disease itself, will be applied. Thus, demographic and clinical variables and others related to their lifestyle, as well as histopathological data for the tumour, will be collected for each patient included in the study. 

Sample of 240 patients in a limited geographical setting

It is expected that up to 240 patients (80 younger than 50 years and 160 who have developed this disease at an older age) will participate in the study. The geographical setting for the sample is the north of Spain, therefore the collaboration of the aforementioned hospitals is required. The heads of the research consider that the availability of real-life data for patients diagnosed in a limited setting may help to better understand this type of cancer in our environment and allow prevention strategies to be developed, especially as regards healthy lifestyle habits. In this sense, it should be noted that the majority of cases of early-onset gastrointestinal cancer occur due to environmental, lifestyle and behavioural, nutritional and biological factors rather than being hereditary.

In addition to the preventive approach, a more in-depth understanding of the onset of tumours in young patients may also help the diagnostic and therapeutic approach in this population group. The availability of data that allow an early diagnosis will increase the probability of effective curative treatments and reduce the impact of the disease on the life of these patients (educational or work activities, responsibilities for children or family members) and increase their potential longevity.

In addition, young patients with digestive tumours face unique challenges and needs, such as possible effects on their body image after aggressive surgery, or potential long-term side-effects of chemo- and radiotherapy treatments on their cardiovascular, sexual and reproductive health, in addition to the possible influence on the onset of new neoplasms.
 

• This initiative, funded by the Regional Government of Navarra, will use artificial intelligence, machine learning and nanotechnology to develop diagnostic biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases. 

The strategic INNOLFACT 2.0 project, awarded 1.6 million euros by the Government of Navarra, is the continuation of INNOLFACT, which finished in 2022. The goal of this second phase is to develop innovations in the early diagnosis and classification of patients from the Geriatric and Neurology Services, and to develop new therapies tat modulate the immune system in the brain to improve cognitive and motor function. Specifically, the aim is to make progress in the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, identify biomarkers indicative of progression of the disease, allow sensory training, and to develop intranasal therapies targeting the central nervous system. This approach consolidates and implements Olfactory Precision Medicine in Navarra, thus making us pioneers in generating innovation via smell.

 
Multidisciplinary consortium

INNOLFACT 2.0 is headed by Enrique Santamaría, principal investigator of the Clinical Neuroproteomics Unit at Navarrabiomed, and Ana María García-Osta, co-PI of the project and investigator in the Neurological Disease Gene Therapy Program at the Cima Universidad de Navarra. The project has a team of the very highest level comprising multidisciplinary clinical R&D&I profiles from the Hospital Universitario de Navarra and the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, the Navarrabiomed research centres and Cima at the Universidad de Navarra: experts in geriatrics, otorhinolaryngology, neurology and neurobiology, immunology, engineering, nanotechnology, biochemistry, proteomics, bioinformatics, data analysis, algorithm development and artificial intelligence. 

The INNOLFACT 2.0 team is also boosted by the participation of two companies from Navarra. These companies NNBi will promote the development of predictive algorithms and digitalisation of the healthcare setting, thereby improving the diagnostic capacity and follow-up of neurodegenerative diseases and ageing. They will alsoEversens  help with the identification of biomarkers correlated with the different stages of cognitive impairment in patients by developing medical devices that allow non-invasive monitoring. 

Finally, the project consortium is completed with the participation of ADItech, coordinator of the SINAI, which leads the “Investigation from a gender perspective” to contribute to the scientific excellence of R&D&I agents and position Navarra at the forefront internationally.

Challenges faced by INNOLFACT 2.0

Clinical, research and digitalisation tools that allow precision medicine, and the technological progress associated with this sector in Navarra are all required to overcome the human and economic challenges raised by ageing and neurodegenerative diseases. Traditionally, the sense of smell is considered to be less relevant than sight or hearing. However, our findings in the context of the INNOLFACT project show a direct link between the immunomodulatory capacity of the olfactory system and the impact thereof on cognitive and, possibly, motor functions. The treatment of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease requires the active compounds administered to reach the brain. 

However, drug administration presents a series of obstacles, the main one being passage through the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which protects the brain against the entry of foreign substances. This protection means that the BBB is essentially impermeable to almost all drugs administered systemically, thus preventing them from reaching an effective concentration in the brain to exert their action. In this context, intranasal administration appears to be a promising alternative given its more direct access to the brain, thus making it faster and, in turn, safer, as a lower dose can be used. This factor has generated, and continues to generate, growing interest in inhaler-based treatments.  

The INNOLFACT 2.0 project aims to introduce innovations in early diagnosis by using smell and the immune system. In addition, it also aims to classify patients in the Geriatric and Neurology departments to develop new therapies that modulate the immune system at a brain level. This will be carried out using artificial intelligence, machine learning and nanotechnology as the central aspect. Taking advantage of the knowledge and state-of-the-art developments provided by the different partners, the aim is to provide a range of olfacto-immunological analyses that allow a personalised approach to ageing and neurodegenerative diseases. 

The project intends to apply cutting-edge methods and technologies, especially the databases available (data collected by both HUN and CUN) from patients who participated in the INNOLFACT study over the period 2020–2022 to identify new diagnostic biomarkers. A more exhaustive study of immune cells and molecules will be carried out, exploring their role in the cognitive process. Moreover, efficacy tests will be carried out for drugs in animal models of neurodegeneration (males and females) established in the previous project. In this sense, the neurocognitive and biological response to stimulation of the sense of smell in participants aged over 65 years with different degrees of cognitive impairment and frailty will be studied. 

At a social level, INNOLFACT 2.0 is supported by the Asociación Navarra de Parkinson [Parkinson’s Association of Navarra] (ANAPAR), the Asociación de Familiares de Enfermos de Alzheimer de Navarra [Association of Families of Alzheimer’s patients of Navarra] (AFAN), Confederación Española de Alzheimer [Spanish Alzheimer’s Confederation] (CEAFA), Federación Española de Parkinson [Spanish Parkinson’s federation] (FEP), Federación de Asociaciones de Personas con Discapacidad Física y Orgánica [Federation of Persons with Physical and Organic Disability] (COCEMFE Navarra), Sociedad Española de Geriatría y Gerontología [Spanish Society for Geriatrics and Gerontology] (SEGG), Red Olfativa Española [Spanish Olfactory Network] (ROE), and support from the following companies: CINFA, 3P Biopharmaceuticals and Ojer Pharma.
 

•    The PreDisc initiative will be implemented within the framework of the Interreg Sudoe cooperation programme and will be coordinated by Navarrabiomed

The biomedical research centre Navarrabiomed will coordinate the implementation of the PreDisc project, a health care model for the elderly aimed at improving their quality of life, by prescribing a personalised physical activity programme to be followed by patients during their stay in hospital, incorporating the continuation of the same in Primary Care by developing an innovative eHealth tool. 

In addition to preventing hospital disability of patients, PreDisc will promote access to new healthcare technologies for elderly people living in rural areas and will help shorten their stays in hospital and adapt healthcare resources. This initiative, which is part of the Interreg Sudoe cooperation programme (2021-2027), will be coordinated by Navarrabiomed and will involve professionals from 16 institutions in Navarra, the Basque Country, France, Andorra and Portugal. 

Nicolás Martínez Velilla, principal investigator of the Geriatrics Unit of Navarrabiomed, head of the Geriatrics Service of the University Hospital of Navarra (HUN) and head of the project explains that the project "aims to modify the traditional care model for elderly people in hospital, prioritising functional recovery, through an individualised training programme. The current model focuses on the disease and not so much on the patient, so this new model will improve the patient's functional capacities by following an individualised multi-component training programme that not only shortens the hospital stay but also avoids the disability that often arises during stays in hospital.

 
Towards a new care model for the elderly

PreDisc includes a multi-centre clinical trial that will show the benefits of a training programme during a stay in hospital. In addition, the continuation of the programme and the transition to Primary Care will be facilitated by optimising communication between professionals and implementing innovative eHealth technology. 

The active ageing model will also be promoted in rural environments and equal access to healthcare will be encouraged by guiding coordination between professionals, facilitated by the use of technological tools, avoiding unnecessary journeys and admissions. 
PreDisc has a total budget of 1,288,550 euros, 75% co-financed by the Interreg Sudoe Programme, which supports regional development in Southwest Europe by helping to promote transnational projects through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This programme promotes cooperation to solve problems common to the Southwest Europe region.

The project consortium is led by the biomedical research centre Navarrabiomed - Fundación Miguel Servet and includes the Fundación  Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Atención Primaria del Servicio Navarro de Salud - Osasunbidea (SNS-O), Universidad de Deusto (Bizkaia, Basque Country), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse Pôle Gériatrie (Occitania), Hospital Distrital da Figueira da Foz, EPE (Coimbra, Centre Region) and Servei Andorrà d'Atenció Sanitària (Andorra), supported by 9 public and private organisations from Southwest Europe participating as associate entities.
 

Professionals from the Medical Oncology Service of the University Hospital of Navarra (HUN) and Navarrabiomed have received two fellowships and an award during the annual congress of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) 2023, held in Barcelona from the 19th to the 22nd of September. 

In particular, Maria Alsina Maqueda  MD PhD has received the SEOM Fellowship for Research Projects for 'Predictive biomarkers of response to RAPID scheme neoadjuvance in locally advanced rectal cancer: impact of the intestinal microbiome and the presence of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA)’, in which several HUN services are also involved. For his part, Hugo Arasanz Esteban MD PhD has been awarded the SEOM Fellowship for Translational Research Projects in Immuno-Oncology for the project 'Circulating low density neutrophils and their role in immunotherapy resistance in non-small cell lung cancer. Potential as a predictive biomarker’. 

Both Medical Oncology specialists dedicate part of their time to research at the Oncobiona group of Navarrabiomed. Dr Alsina researches through the Navarrabiomed intensification program funded by La Caixa Foundation and Dr Arasanz thanks to the 2019 AECC Junior Clinical Fellowship, from the Spanish Association against Cancer.
 

• Further information: read the article on the Government of Navarra website

• La AES 2024 parte con más de 138 millones y espera movilizar casi 285 para impulsar la I+D+I en salud.
   
• Navarrabiomed organiza una formación dirigida a profesionales del ecosistema público de salud de Navarra interesados en presentar propuestas. 

La Acción Estratégica en Salud es la principal herramienta para financiar la investigación biomédica y sanitaria en España y está gestionada por el Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), como organismo dependiente del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades.

La AES 2024 contará para el año próximo en su primera convocatoria, ya publicada en el Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE), con más de 138 millones de euros para financiar convocatorias de ayudas, proyectos y contratos de investigación en salud. Esta cifra inicial se podrá ampliar con hasta 40 millones adicionales y se complementará con otras convocatorias adicionales que se lanzarán a lo largo de los próximos meses; la previsión es movilizar casi 285 millones de euros para la investigación en salud en España en el marco de la AES 2024.

A través de fondos públicos y en convocatorias de concurrencia competitiva, la AES del ISCIII concede anualmente ayudas económicas para la realización de contratos y de proyectos de investigación que impulsen la I+D+I biomédica y sanitaria en España y la carrera profesional de su comunidad investigadora. En las próximas semanas se anunciará la fecha de presentación formal de esta primera convocatoria de la AES 2024, incluyendo todos los aspectos técnicos y administrativos necesarios para su desarrollo. ​

Como en los últimos años, la AES cuenta con un corpus de convocatorias en el que se incorporan actuaciones innovadoras, dando como resultado una Acción Estratégica en Salud constituida por convocatorias muy conectadas y sinérgicas. El director del ISCIII, Cristóbal Belda​, explica que la AES y su contenido evolucionan en función de las necesidades del sistema: “La progresiva incorporación de fondos al presupuesto inicial es uno de los elementos centrales de la nueva forma de entender la financiación necesaria dentro del Sistema Nacional de Salud (SNS) y del Sistema Española de Ciencia, tecnología e Innovación (SECTI) en el ámbito biomédico y sanitario, que nos dota de una especial flexibilidad para seguir impulsando la I+D+I en salud".

De esta manera, esta primera convocatoria podrá alcanzar los 178,3 millones para diversas actuaciones, entre los que se encuentran los Contratos Miguel Servet, Juan Rodés, Río Hortega y Sara Borrell; las Ayudas para la movilidad del personal investigador; los Proyectos de I+D+I en salud; los Proyectos de investigación clínica independiente (ICI), y los Proyectos de colaboración internacional, entre otros.

Además de estos fondos, la financiación aumentará para apoyar convocatorias adicionales que se lanzarán próximamente, algunas de ellas vinculadas al PERTE para la Salud de Vanguardia. En total se prevé la disponibilidad de cerca de 150 millones adicionales distribuidos en 120 millones en subvenciones, hasta alcanzar los casi 285 millones, que incluirán una convocatoria de investigación en red y 27 millones en préstamos para entidades públicas.

Novedades para 2024

Como cada año, la AES consolida las mejoras aplicadas en convocatorias previas, e incluye novedades para seguir potenciando su capacidad. En 2024 se consolidará su evaluación y adhesión a los principios de la Declaración de San Francisco (DORA), consolidando el análisis cualitativo del impacto social de la ciencia en la evaluación de los proyectos financiados con fondos públicos.

También se progresa en las modificaciones introducidas con la reforma de la Ley de la Ciencia , dirigidas a consolidar una financiación creciente y progresiva; simplificar el procedimiento administrativo vinculado a la gestión de la investigación; impulsar la contratación indefinida; mejorar el itinerario posdoctoral; promover nuevos derechos laborales para los jóvenes; favorecen el recambio generacional y la transición de liderazgo; lograr mayor movilidad profesional; fomentar la transferencia de conocimiento, y garantizar la igualdad de género.

La AES 2024 seguirá fomentando la creación de puestos de trabajo permanentes vinculados a los programas post-doctorales de excelencia, como son los contratos Miguel Servet y Juan Rodés. Una de las novedades para el próximo año desarrolla la estrategia del ISCIII orientada a la promoción de la investigación en Atención Primaria, incluyendo acciones internacionales especialmente enfocadas a este ámbito, y al fortalecimiento de la transferencia de los resultados de la investigación, al incorporar como beneficiarios en acciones específicas a los centros tecnológicos.

Otra de las novedades es la ampliación de la posibilidad de realizar actividades docentes para las personas vinculadas a contratos predoctorales. También destacan el aumento de la duración de las estancias formativas, así como la ampliación en la realización de actividades asistenciales para los beneficiarios de ayudas vinculadas a centros con actividad clínico-asistencial. Además, se avanza en la simplificación administrativa en la gestión de solicitudes.

Por otro lado, la AES 2024 abre la participación a la primera convocatoria europea de ayudas ligada a la reciente aprobación por la Comisión Europea del Partenariado de Medicina Personalizada de Precisión EP PER MED. También se añade a las actuaciones europeas y transnacionales un especial foco en la internacionalización de la investigación realizada desde Atención Primaria.

En cuanto a las líneas de investigación que se beneficiarán de las convocatorias, la AES del próximo año consolida y amplía las orientadas a la protección de la salud y el impacto social de políticas sanitarias a diversas áreas estratégicas: 

• Quimioprevención del cáncer en personas sanas.
• Efectos terapéuticos a largo plazo en largos supervivientes de cáncer.
• Calidad de vida en enfermedades crónicas, en especial las ligadas a fragilidad y vulnerabilidad social.
• Impacto del consumo de alcohol y otros tóxicos en la salud.
• Desarrollo y aplicación de herramientas conductuales y biológicas con aplicación en medicina de precisión y salud pública.
• Nuevos sistemas de vigilancia epidemiológica con análisis de interoperabilidad y coste-efectividad.
• Economía de la salud y farmacoeconomía.
• Análisis de viabilidad de cribados poblacionales en patologías altamente letales y/o de elevada incidencia.
   

En definitiva, tal y como resume el director del ISCIII, "esta nueva convocatoria de la Acción Estratégica en Salud busca seguir impulsando la I+D+I en salud en España, facilitando el desarrollo de la carrera investigadora, ofreciendo oportunidades para que nuestras investigadoras e investigadores hagan ciencia biomédica de la más alta calidad, y poniendo el foco en solucionar las necesidades sociales para seguir mejorando la salud de las personas". 
 

• Nota de prensa difundida por el Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. 
• Ver calendario de convocatorias.

• This initiative, funded by the Government of Navarra, proposes a specific physical exercise programme for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. 

The partners of the SENSORFIT-4HEART project met at Navarrabiomed to begin work on this project, whose aim is to create an innovative platform for prescribing and remote-monitoring individualised physical exercise in the treatment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The Principal Investigator of the Physical Exercise, Health and Quality of life Unit (E-FIT) of Navarrabiomed and full professor at UPNA Mikel Izquierdo and the UPNA associate professor Robinson Ramirez-Vélez are at the head of this strategic initiative funded by the Government of Navarra. 

Specifically, the Department of Industry and Ecological and Digital Business Transition has granted 1,147,000 euros to SENSORFIT-4HEART, through the call for grants for the implementation of strategic R&D projects 2023 - Challenge 7 SIBERIA V Innovative Solutions in Biotechnology. The project consortium is made up of the biomedical research centre Navarrabiomed, which is coordinating its implementation, ADItech, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Naitec and the companies Lorpeland and 540. Together they form a comprehensive team of professionals from very different fields, who are going to work together to implement this project in order to develop a strategy that allows progress to be made towards the personalised treatment of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), using non-pharmacological strategies that focus on their capacity for self-management and on improving their quality of life.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a complex syndrome with an increasing incidence and poor prognosis, which already accounts for 50% of heart failure cases. This pathology is associated with ageing and cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity and is more common in women than in men. Sufferers often experience dyspnoea, debilitating fatigue, and poor quality of life, as well as frequent hospitalisations and a high mortality rate. Despite their great impact, most of the available pharmacological treatments for heart failure have not demonstrated a beneficial prognostic effect in patients with HFpEF. And although the syndrome is more common in women, they are typically under-represented in clinical trials and intervention studies. Therefore, SENSORFIT-4HEART will integrate the gender perspective throughout the implementation of the project in order to assess the incidence and impact on both sexes. 

The SENSORFIT-4HEART project will make it possible to implement an individualised physical exercise programme, two days a week, on HFpEF patients that will have a beneficial effect on their physical function and cardiac remodelling, as well as on muscular bioenergetics, functional capacity and quality of life. Furthermore, it is hoped it will contribute to the improvement of the prognosis of patients with HFpEF and to alleviate the burden this represents for the Navarra Health Service-Osasunbidea.

La Comisión Técnica de Evaluación de Navarrabiomed ha publicado hoy martes, 26 de diciembre la adjudicación de las ayuda predoctoral y ayuda postdoctoral Navarrabiomed 2023, así como las puntuaciones finales de las y los solicitantes evaluados para cada una de las convocatorias: ayuda predoctoral y ayuda postdoctoral. A continuación, puede consultar y descargar la documentación correspondiente.

• Vice Chair Ollo opened a conference organized by Navarrabiomed and the Directorate General for External Action to strengthen public health taking advantage of the European framework

The Condestable Palace of Pamplona / Iruña hosted this afternoon the meeting “Public health: researching and progressing with Europe - Scientific progress that saves lives”, whose objective was to convey to citizens the European Union's commitment to public health and biomedical research as a guarantee of innovative, sustainable and high-quality medical care. 

The conference, organized by the Navarrabiomed biomedical research centre and funded by the General Directorate of External Action of the Government of Navarra, through the 2023 call for Grants for the dissemination of European Union policies and strategies, has been an opportunity to remind us all that research and scientific progress saves lives.

During the institutional opening, the second vice-chair and Regional Minister of Memory and Coexistence, External Action and Basque Language and Literature, Ana Ollo Hualde, highlighted that “this conference represents a meeting point between three key lines for the development of Navarra: public health, research and the European framework”. 

A journey through the milestones of medical science over time

From an informative approach, the doctor, writer, scientific populariser and professor of the History of Medicine, Pedro Gargantilla Madera, then made a tour through the history of medicine reviewing the milestones of medical science over time and its decisive importance in the advancement of humanity.

Analysing the scientific advances that save lives, he explained that throughout the twentieth century there were “more scientific advances than in all previous centuries together." In the twentieth century the first antibiotics and insulin emerged, “a treatment that completely revolutionized the field of endocrinology.” Another relevant milestone was the marked by electrocardiogram that made it possible to reach a correct and accurate diagnosis in cardiovascular diseases.

On the other hand, he focused on the role of Europe throughout the history of medicine. "It was precisely in our continent where the transition from Mythos to Logos took place, back in the fifth century BC, in the first universities, with the appearance of autopsies that revolutionized medical knowledge and, in the twentieth century, the discovery of X-rays and penicillin. Until the Second World War, our continent championed medical knowledge," he explained.  

 
Public health: researching and improving with Europe 

Antonio López Andrés, Director General of Health of the Government of Navarra, has highlighted the research needs of the Health Department itself, based on its prioritization and health strategies. According to López: "This research should not be just a research "per se" but should keep an eye on the health needs and challenges presented by the population.” In this regard, the Director General mentioned the different actions to promote health research, such as the greater weight in professional careers or an adaptation of the care burden so that professionals can achieve this goal, especially in the field of primary care.

Conference attendees were able to learn more about the European commitment to health research from Laura Sesma Aguirre, leader of the Health Area in European Projects of Zabala Innovation. She stressed that people are living longer but “it's not just about giving life more years, but also giving those years more life. It is essential to work at all stages of life, so that healthy lifestyle habits can be acquired to prevent the onset of diseases. And to achieve this change, the European Union is aware of the need to involve all stakeholders of the health ecosystem from the start, including citizens. She insists that “we must be aware of the importance of these advances of which we are part and which will also affect us, in order to contribute ideas and solutions and also include these advances consciously and actively to really achieve change.”

For her part, Berta Ibáñez Beroiz, researcher at Navarrabiomed and head of the Methodology - Evaluation of Health Services Unit, insisted that research contributes to improving the health and well-being of the population, caring for their needs with a quality and efficient service. In this regard, she stressed that Europe enables a space to establish strategic collaborations that allow “to develop an increasingly competitive research and oriented to the problems that arise at the bedside of patients.” Berta Ibáñez added that “we are working to provide citizens with access to new therapies and more advanced diagnostic techniques. Research also means welcoming new methodologies, more open to society and evaluating health services to improve public policies. Research contributes to making the public health system more versatile, more rigorous and more competent.”

The exhibition "From the cell to the patient" at the Condestable Palace

Starting today and until December 10th, 2023, the exhibition "From the cell to the patient. 10 Years moving forward together", can be visited in the entrance hall of the Palace. To enjoy all the contents, download the free Navarrabiomed app (available for Android and for iOS).

This project has received funding from the Department of University, Innovation and Digital Transformation of the Government of Navarra in the call for Grants for the Promotion of Scientific Culture, the dissemination of R&D&I carried out in Navarra and the promotion of STEM COSMOS 2022 and 2023 vocations.
 

A study led by Navarrabiomed proposes a therapeutic alternative to treat melanoma.

• The drug ranolazine, used to treat chronic angina pectoris, could improve response to anti-melanoma therapies.
• This is a multicenter investigation carried out by Navarrabiomed biomedical research center, the Institute for Neurosciences CSIC-UMH, and IRB Barcelona.

The prestigious journal Nature Metabolism has published the results of a study in mice that determined that ranolazine, a drug that is currently administered to patients to treat heart conditions, delays the appearance of resistance to melanoma treatments, by blocking fatty acids metabolism. This research has been led by Navarrabiomed, together with the Institute for Neurosciences (CSIC-UMH) and IRB Barcelona. Melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer and, although it only accounts for 10% of skin cancer cases, it is responsible for 90% of deaths associated with skin tumours. Thanks to the development of targeted therapies and immunotherapies, the clinical management of patients affected with this type of cancer has improved, however, these therapies still have limitations because 50% of patients do not respond adequately and even develop resistance.

The evidence suggests that this resistance could be linked to metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells that is associated to changes in the way in which cells process and use nutrients. This research demonstrates that fatty acid metabolism plays an important role in the development of resistance to melanoma treatments.

Researchers have confirmed that increased fatty acid oxidation occurs during long-term treatment with BRAF inhibitors, one of the key genes in tumour progression, contributing to therapy resistance.

Ranolazine increases the efficacy of targeted therapy against melanoma because it can target fatty acid oxidation. In addition, the application of this drug promotes that melanoma cells become more visible to the immune system,improving the response to immunotherapies and increasing the ability of lymphocytes to control tumour growth.

A multicenter investigation

The Navarrabiomed Cancer Signaling Unit, directed by Imanol Arozarena Martinicorena, has coordinated the course of the research and has been in charge of carrying out the experiments related to resistance to targeted therapies and the study of how ranolazine affects the immunogenicity of melanoma cells.

Researchers at the laboratory led by Berta Sánchez-Laorden, belonging to the Cell Plasticity in Development and Disease group at the Institute for Neurosciences, have developed immunotherapy experiments in mice and have carried out the study of immune cells in the tumour microenvironment.

In addition, the IRB Barcelona Stem Cells and Cancer research group, led by Salvador Aznar-Benitah, has carried out individual cell RNA sequencing analyses, which have made it possible to find out in detail the effect of the drug on the state metabolism of tumour cells.

Funding

This study, which has been made possible thanks to funding granted by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, the Carlos III Health Institute, the Government of Navarra, the Spanish Multidisciplinary Melanoma Group (GEM), and the Melanoma Research Alliance, is a clear example of how basic research can contribute a lot to the repositioning of drugs, which makes it possible to significantly shorten the deadlines for providing answers to patients suffering from diseases as prevalent as cancer.

• Today, World Brain Day, the benefits of this strategic R&D project funded by Economic Development and carried out by a consortium led by Navarrabiomed have been announced.

The Navarrabiomed biomedical research centre has recently hosted the final meeting of the INNOLFACT strategic project. During the event, chaired by the General Director of Industry, Energy and Strategic Projects S4 Uxue Itoiz, the results of the study were announced. The meeting was attended by representatives of the various institutions that make up the consortium, a multidisciplinary working group that includes a representation of the Navarra health ecosystem, both from the private and public sides.

The consortium is led from the Clinical Neuroproteomics Unit of Navarrabiomed, under the direction of its principal investigator Enrique Santamaría Martínez. In all, 75 professionals belonging to the Geriatrics Unit from Navarrabiomed and the University Hospital of Navarra (HUN), Cima University of Navarra, University of Navarra Clinic, ADItech and the company Ojer Pharma. 

The Department of Economic and Business Development, through the General Directorate of Industry, Energy and Strategic Projects S4, has financed the strategic R&D project INNOLFACT, which studies the direct relationship of the sense of smell with the immune system and neurodegenerative diseases. Thanks to this research, it will be possible to advance in an olfactory precision medicine capable of early diagnosis and developing immunomodulatory nasal therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's.

The project has received a total funding of 1,593,000 euros from the Department of Economic and Business Development of the Government of Navarra, through the call for Grants for strategic R&D projects 2020-2022. In addition, it should be noted that the consortium has submitted a continuation of the project to the call for Grants for strategic R&D projects 2023-2026 and has been selected as one of the projects that will receive funding.

Developing olfactory precision medicine 

In an aging society, the scientific community believes that disruptive approaches are needed to generate innovative tools to detect and diagnose neurodegenerative diseases early. Previous studies carried out in Navarra demonstrate the direct association of the sense of smell with the immune system and its impact on cognitive and motor functions. The INNOLFACT project delves into this field of research to characterize in depth the olfactory-immune system-brain axis and, likewise, to decipher the immunological molecular mechanisms related to smell involved in the development of neurodegenerative diseases.

Specifically, the two most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases have been addressed, which are Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Comprehensive biochemical, olfactory, immunological, cognitive and imaging studies have been carried out in more than 300 patients, in order to verify the relationship between smell, the immune system and cognition of the participants. 

This connection has also been investigated through the use of an immunostimulating odorant such as menthol, analysing its impact on the immune system and cognitive ability in animal models. It has been observed that short and repeated exposures to the menthol aroma regulate the immune response in mice and significantly improves their cognitive ability, demonstrating how it is possible to modulate brain activity through the olfactory pathway.

On the other hand, the Navarrabiomed research units of Clinical Neuroproteomics and Geriatrics have launched, in collaboration with the University Hospital of Navarra, a study to examine the effects of controlled and supervised olfactory training on olfactory function, in older people, and to better understand the relationship between smell, the immune system and brain function in aging. When subjecting older people to olfactory training, it has been proven that repeated exposure to odorants leads to increased olfactory sensitivity. It is a non-invasive technique without significant side effects that has proven effective in some patients with olfactory dysfunction.

The INNOLFACT project has generated a database with information associated with more than 250 variables that will be analysed in a second phase of development with artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, with the aim of generating predictive algorithms of clinical impact.

Research with a gender perspective

It is known that diseases associated with aging, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, occur differently in men and women, among other reasons, due to differences in genetic risk factors, the immune system and the progression of the pathology itself. The INNOLFACT consortium has demonstrated how olfactory metabolism differs between men and women with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, identifying, using olfactory proteomics techniques, hundreds of proteins with differential behaviour between sexes. This information is essential, in order to establish a precision olfactory medicine without gender bias, with personalized diagnoses and treatments beneficial for the whole of society.