A researcher at the Cima University of Navarra receives the prestigious ERC Starting Grant to develop gene therapy for kidney diseases.

Dr. Nerea Zabaleta, researcher at the Cima University of Navarra, has received the prestigious ERC Starting Grant scholarship the European research committee for 1.5 million euros over five years to develop theRENALGENE project . The work is focused on developing gene therapies for genetic kidney diseases. 

This work of the Gene Transfer Technologiesgroup development of the Cima University of Navarra will develop personalized gene therapies to improve the quality of life of patients with genetic diseases affecting the kidney, such as autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. 

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a very common Genetics disease that affects one in a thousand people with one patient in each generation of families carrying this gene, and severely affects kidney function, so the efforts of researchers are aimed at developing personalized gene therapy strategies effective for patients.

In this research , gene editing strategies will be used using the CRISPR machinery, a "genetic scissors" that would allow correcting the mutation present in patients and reversing the effects of the disease.  

A project that opens the door to the development of new therapies

Dr. Nerea Zabaleta, principal investigator of the work group and the recipient of the prestigious scholarship, points out that "this research project could not only have a positive impact on ADPKD, but could also open the door to the development of personalized treatments for other kidney diseases, as we will work to bring our gene therapy vectors to the kidney and stop or delay the development of different types of conditions".  

In addition, the doctor indicates that the financial aid, endowed with one and a half million euros, "will allow us to launch the project much faster: with this financial aid, what would take us between 10 and 15 years, we will be able to develop in just five years". 

data and figures

As part of the EU's Horizon Europe program, the ERC, Europe's leading funding organization for cutting-edge research , has selected 478 early-stage researchers from across Europe to receive this year's Starting Grants. With total funding of 761 million euros, these grants support excellent research in a variety of fields, including physical sciences and engineering, life sciences, and social sciences and Humanities. The support will help researchers at the beginning of their degree program to launch their own projects, create research teams and develop their most promising ideas.