ROSSCA

Start date: 1 July 2024

End date: 30 June 2027

Project coordinator: University of Zaragoza

Project partners: National Institute of Biology (NIB) Slovenia, Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP) Brazil y Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences (IP-PAS) Polonia.

Project summary: ROS-Scavenging Magnetic Nanozymes with Remote Activation for Alzheimer Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition and a leading cause of dementia worldwide. Although its aetiology has not yet been fully elucidated, there is a strong consensus on its multifactorial nature that demands multi-targeted strategies. Two key factors in AD are amyloid-beta (Ab) deposits and hyperphosphorylated tau proteins, both sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ROSSCA project aims to develop a new therapeutic approach against AD by targeting the formation of toxic protein deposits that are generated during AD. We will produce and test magnetically activatable magnetic nanoenzymes to fragment AD-relevant pathological deposits. The novelty of the ROSSCA project lies in its nanomechanical approach to target modified protein deposits. The level of preparation of the MNZs will include preclinical trials, evaluating their toxicological safety, neuroprotective action and efficacy in a rat model of AD. The ROSSCA Consortium, composed of four international partners, will prepare the MNZs for preclinical testing. The multidisciplinary approach is crucial to achieve these goals, using safe nanomaterials in in vitro biological and in vivo neurophysiological models of AD. The knowledge and protocols of the ROSSCA project will be transferable to other neurodegenerative diseases. The results are expected to advance research into biocatalytic mechanisms and preclinical applications for antioxidant and minimally invasive therapies for AD and other central nervous system diseases.

The publication is part of the action PCI2024-153438, funded by MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union.

Project ROSSCA was selected in the Joint Transnational Call 2023 of M-ERA.NET 3. The project is funded by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación, AEI, Spain.