Ongoing Research Projects

1. Title: Activity and connectivity drive neuronal vulnerability and disease progression in Parkinson’s disease
Coordinating Lead PI: Miquel Vila (Co-PIs: G. Halliday, University of Sidney, Australia; J.A. Obeso, Ciberned, Spain; M. Prigge, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Germany; N.B. Mercuri, Tor Vergata University, Italy/Collaborators: E. Arenas, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden; F.N. Soria & J. Tonnesen, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Spain; J.L. Lanciego, Ciberned, Spain)
Agency: Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP, USA)
Funding: $10,975,371 (Vila group: $1,485,066).
Period: 2021-24

2. Title: Molecular mechanisms of neuromelanin-linked neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease and brain aging
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN, Spain)
Funding: 332,750 €
Period: 2021-24

3. Title: Targeting neuromelanin-linked neuronal dysfunction and degeneration in ageing and Parkinson’s disease using a combined imaging and brain stimulation approach
Principal Investigator/Coordinator: Miquel Vila (Partners: S. Lehericy, Brain & Spine Institute-Salpetriere Hospital, France; M. Prigge, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Germany; M. Betts, Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia, Germany)
Agency: EU Joint Programme Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND)
Funding: 739,979.19 € (Vila group: 249,984.79 €).
Period: 2021-23

4. Title: Sex-based modulation of neuromelanin-linked Parkinson’s disease pathology
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Michael J. Fox Foundation (USA)
Funding: $199,974.54
Period: 2021-22

5. Title: Neurodegeneration linked to neuromelanin in Parkinson’s disease: mechanistic, diagnostic and therapeutic implications
Principal Investigator/Coordinator: Miquel Vila (Co-PIs: JL Lanciego, CIMA-Universidad de Navarra; JL Labandeira, CIMUS-USC; R. Trullàs, IIBB-CSIC-IDIBAPS; M. Calero, UFIEC-CROSADIS-ISCIII)
Agency: CIBERNED Collaborative Projects (Spain)
Funding: 315,000 € (Vila group: 63,000 €)
Period: 2021-22

6. Title: The Vall d’Hebron Iniciative for Parkinson associated to GBA (VHIP-GBA): from biospecimen collection to translational studies and therapies
Principal Investigators: Marta Martinez-Vicente, Jorge Hernandez-Vara
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III-Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (Spain)
Funding: 245,932.5 €
Period: 2021-23

7. Title: Development of new nanotechnological based Enzyme Replacement Therapy for Parkinson’s disease: restoration of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase activity through enzyme-polymer nanoconjugation of GBA (NANO-ERT)
Principal Investigator: Marta Martinez-Vicente
Agency: Fundación BBVA (Spain)
Funding: 124,872 €
Period: 2020-23

8. Title: Characterization of a novel neuromelanin-producing transgenic mouse model: relevance to Parkinson’s disease and brain aging
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Michael J. Fox Foundation (USA)
Funding: $200,000
Period: 2020-22

9. Title: Modulation of age-dependent neuromelanin accumulation as a novel therapeutic strategy for Parkinson’s disease and brain aging
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: “la Caixa” Banking Foundation-Health Research 2017 (Spain)
Funding: 466,004 €
Period: 2019-21

10. Title: The gut-brain axis in Parkinson’s disease: novel pathogenic mechanisms and new possibilities for biomarkers and
therapeutic approaches

Principal Investigator: Ariadna Laguna
Agency: “La Caixa” Banking Foundation-Postdoctoral Junior Leader fellowship (Spain)
Funding: 305,100 €
Period: 2019-22

11. Title: Adaptive immune response in Parkinson’s disease induced by patient-derived alpha-synuclein epitopes: development of neuroprotective strategies
Principal Investigator: Jordi Bové
Agency: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria-Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)
Funding: 141,570 €
Period: 2019-21