The "la Caixa" Foundation has selected two biomedical projects from the Cima within the CaixaImpuse program. This initiative is aimed at goal to promote technology transfer to generate value in society. In this edition it has recognized "23 innovative projects of great social impact", according to the "la Caixa" Foundation. The work awarded to Cima is part of the CaixaImpulse Validate line, which supports projects in the early stages of the technology transfer process.

One of the projects focuses on a new target for the treatment of dementia Investigator. Several longitudinal programs of study have revealed that one-third of people who died without dementia met the pathological criteria for having Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting that certain members of the population are resistant to AD. Studying the brains of these individuals could open up a new world of possibilities in AD therapeutic options. This research, led by Dr. Ana García Osta, a researcher in the Neurosciences Program at Cima, has identified a gene potentially manager of this cognitive resilience. Through gene therapy, they have managed to completely restore cognitive deficits in mice. Now, the aim is to determine the role of this gene in the progression of AD in humans.

On the other hand, the other selected project presents a switch for therapeutic regulation of gene expression. Gene therapy is expected to transform the healthcare system in the coming years. However, there remain limitations that must be overcome before it can be implemented, including controlling the dose of the therapeutic gene administered. For example, a gene that has been identified as an excellent antitumor agent is highly toxic if it exceeds a certain level of expression. The group led by Dr. Puri Fortes, a researcher in the Gene Therapy Program at Cima, is developing a switch that will be placed on the therapeutic gene and allow its expression to be modulated from the outside, and turned on or off when necessary. This innovative technology is invisible to the immune system and independent of the subject cell, making it a safe asset for the treatment of various diseases.

The projects, selected on the basis of scientific quality, transfer potential and social impact, will receive 100,000 euros respectively.