COMPLETED RESEARCH PROJECTS

1. Title: Focused ultrasound modulation of neuromelanin accumulation in a humanized rat model of Parkinson’s disease
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila (Co-PI: S. Lehericy, Brain & Spine Institute-ICM, Paris, France)
Agency: Network of Centres of Excellence in Neurodegeneration (CoEN)
Funding: 456,488 € (Vila group: 182,097.52 €)
Period: 2018-21

2. Title: Diagnostic/therapeutic potential of neuromelanin in Parkinson disease using novel humanized preclinical in vivo model
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain)
Funding: 363,000 €
Period: 2016-20

3. Title: Therapeutic target of GCase enzyme in Parkinson’s disease with novel pharmacological chaperones
Principal Investigator: Marta Martinez-Vicente
Agency: Michael  J Fox Foundation & Silverstein Foundation (USA)
Funding: $ 498,698 (Vila group: $ 311,742)
Period: 2018-20

4. Title: Autophagic/lysosomal dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease: characterization and development on new translational strategies to therapeutically target lysosomes
Principal Investigator: Marta Martinez-Vicente
Agency: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria-Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)
Funding: 99,220 €
Period: 2018-20

5. Title: Pathogenic Role of Neuromelanin in Parkinson’s disease and Brain Aging: Molecular Mechanisms in a Novel Humanized Pre-clinical in Vivo Model
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (USA)
Funding: $98,450
Period: 2018-19

6. Title: SYNUCLEAN-D: A novel molecule to cure Parkinson’s disease
Collaborator: Miquel Vila (PI: S. Ventura, UAB)
Agency: CaixaImpulse, “la Caixa” Banking Foundation (Spain)
Funding: 70,000 €
Period: 2018-19

7. Title: Identification of pathophysiological biomarkers in the prodromal/preclinical phase of Parkinson’s disease
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED, Spain)
Funding: 280,000 € (Vila group: 70,000 €)
Period: 2017-18

8. Title: The gut-brain axis in prodromal Parkinson’s disease: new possibilities for risk/diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic interventions
Principal Investigator: Ariadna Laguna
Agency: Proyectos de I+D+I para Jóvenes Investigadores-Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain)
Funding: 170,000 €
Period: 2016-19

9. Title: Support to Consolidated Research Groups
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de la Recerca (AGAUR, Spain)
Funding: 35,200 €
Period: 2017-19

10. Title: A precise approach for nucleoside-based therapy of neuromuscular disorders with defects in mitochondrial DNA
Co-Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila (Coordinator: M.A. Martín, Hospital 12 de Octubre)
Agency: ISCIII-FEDER, Programa Desarrollo en Medicina Personalizada (Spain)
Funding: 806,223 € (Vila group: 58,000 €)
Period: 2016-19

11. Title: Adaptive immune response in Parkinson’s disease induced by alpha-synuclein proteoforms present in Lewy bodies: diagnostic and therapeutic application
Principal Investigator: Jordi Bové
Agency: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria-Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)
Funding: 134,915 €
Period: 2016-18

12. Title: Targeting a novel transcriptional pathway to reduce alpha-synuclein expression
Co-Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila (PI: S. Desagher, CNRS-Institute of Molecular Genetics Montpellier, France)
Agency: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (USA)
Funding: 91,400 € (Vila group: 26,624 €)
Period: 2016-18

13. Title: New therapeutic strategies for the treatment of synucleinopathies
Collaborator: Miquel Vila (PI: R. Revilla, nLife Therapeutics, Spain)
Agency: Retos-Colaboración, MINECO (Spain)
Funding: 1,971,513 € (Vila group: 368,114 €)
Period: 2014-17

14. Title: Pathogenic role of autophagic/lysosomal dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease: diagnosis and new preclinical therapies.
Principal Investigator: Marta Martínez-Vicente
Agency: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria-Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)
Funding: 110,715 €
Period: 2015-17

15. Title: Transcriptional profiling in prodromal subgroups of Parkinson’s disease
Principal Investigator: Ariadna Laguna
Agency: Fundación Tatiana Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno (Spain)
Funding: 40,000 €
Period: 2015-17

16. Title: Role of the cellular prion protein as “cross-talk” protein between alpha-syn/LRRK2 and p-Tau in sporadic and familiar Parkinson’s disease
Collaborator: Miquel Vila (PI: J.A. del Río, The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Spain)
Agency: Marató de TV3 Foundation (Spain)
Funding: 195,646 €
Period: 2014-17

17. Title: Targeting the transcriptional regulator of autophagy LMX1B for Parkinson’s disease therapeutic development
Principal Investigator: Ariadna Laguna
Agency: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (USA)
Funding: 91,400 €
Period: 2015-16

18. Title: Role of alpha-synuclein and neuromelanin in the initiation and extension of Parkinson’s disease: therapeutic and diagnosis potential in novel pre-clinical models
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria-Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)
Funding: 142,780 €
Period: 2014-16

19. Title: Characterization of a novel therapy to selectively silence alpha-synuclein in monoaminergic neurons
Collaborator: Miquel Vila (PI: R. Revilla, nLife Therapeutics, Spain)
Agency: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (USA)
Funding: $350,000
Period: 2014-16

20. Title: Support to Consolidated Research Groups
Co-Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila (Coordinator: J.X. Comella, VHIR, Spain)
Agency: Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de la Recerca (AGAUR, Spain)
Funding: 30,000 €
Period: 2014-16

21. Mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease: role of mitochondrial dynamics
Principal Investigator: Celine Perier
Agency: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain)
Funding: 114,950 €
Period: 2014-2016

22. Title: Prion-like dissemination of synuclein pathology: a non-human primate study
Co-Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila (PI: E. Bezard, Université de Bordeaux, France)
Agency: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (USA)
Funding: 374,375 €
Period: 2013-16

23. Title: Regenerating dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease via cell-fusion-mediated reprogramming
Co-Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila (Coordinator: P. Cosma, CRG, Spain)
Agency: Marató de TV3 Foundation (Spain)
Funding: 300,000 € (Vila group: 150,000 €)
Period: 2013-16

24. Title: Generation of humanized mouse models to study the role of neuromelanin in Parkinson Disease
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Parkinson’s UK-Innovation Grant (U.K)
Funding: 34,113 €
Period: 2015

25. Title: Suppression of alpha-synuclein expression and PDE10 as a new therapeutic strategy to Parkinson disease and improvement of cognitive dysfunctions
Collaborator: Miquel Vila (Coordinator: A. Montefeltro, nLife Therapeutics, Spain)
Agency: INNPACTO program, European Regional Development Fund (EU)
Funding: 255,059 € (Vila group: 35,000 €)
Period: 2013-15

26. Title: Mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy as therapeutic targets in Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease
Co-Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila (Coordinator: E. Soriano, University of Barcelona, Spain)
Agency: CIBERNED-Proyectos colaborativos (Spain)
Funding: 56,000 € (Vila Group)
Period: 2013-15

27. Title: Neuroprotective strategies and biomarkers in Parkinson’s disease based on lysosomal impairment
Principal Investigator: Jordi Bové
Agency: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria-Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)
Funding: 121,500 €
Period: 2012-15

28. Title: Initiation, progression and extension of Parkinson’s disease: role of α-synuclein and Lewy bodies
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria-Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)
Funding: 198,000 €
Period: 2011-13

29. Title: Innovative solutions to accelerate the identification and development of new drugs for the treatment of diseases of the nervous system
Collaborator: Miquel Vila (PI: A. Montefeltro, nLife Therapeutics, Spain)
Agency: Programa de Consorcios Estratégicos Nacionales en Investigación Técnica-CENIT (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain)
Funding: 364,665 € (Vila Group)
Period: 2010-13

30. Title: Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived DA neurons from patients with familial and sporadic Parkinson’s disease
Co-Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila (Coordinator: E. Tolosa, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona)
Agency: CIBERNED-Proyectos colaborativos (Spain)
Funding: 70,000 € (Vila Group)
Period: 2010-13

31. Title: Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived DA neurons from patients with familial and sporadic Parkinson’s disease
Co-Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila (Coordinator: E. Tolosa, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona)
Agency: CIBERNED-Proyectos colaborativos (Spain)
Funding: 70,000 € (Vila Group)
Period: 2010-13

32. Altered autophagy in Huntington’s disease
Principal Investigator: Marta Martínez-Vicente
Agency: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria-Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)
Funding: 34,836 €
Period: 2010-13

33. Altered autophagy in Huntington’s disease
Principal Investigator: Marta Martínez-Vicente
Agency: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Spain)
Funding: 110,395 €
Period: 2010-13

34. Title: Support to Emerging Research Groups
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de la Recerca (AGAUR, Spain)
Funding: 42,640 €
Period: 2009-13

35. Title: Mechanisms of propagation and progression of Parkinson’s disease: role of Lewy bodies
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN)-Explora Program (Spain)
Funding: 35,000 €
Period: 2010-11

36. Title: Mechanisms and significance of Lewy body formation in Parkinson’s disease
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria-Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)
Funding: 217,679 €
Period: 2007-10

37. Title: Role of mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease neurodegeneration
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: La Caixa Foundation (Spain)
Funding: 90,000 €
Period: 2006-09

38. Title: Targeting programmed cell death in Parkinson’s disease
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Marie Curie Excellence Grant (European Commission)
Funding: 1,151,879 €
Period: 2005-09

39. Title: Targeting programmed cell death as a new therapeutic strategy for Parkinson’s disease
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: Marie Curie International Reintegration Grant (European Commission)
Funding: 80,000 €
Period: 2005-07

40. Title: Mechanisms of Bax activation in the MPTP mouse model of Parkinson’s disease
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: National Institutes of Health- National Institute on Aging (USA)
Funding: 1,000,000 USD
Period: 2003-08

41. Title: Role of Bax-dependent cell death molecular pathways in the MPTP model of Parkinson’s disease
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: U.S. Department of Defense (USA)
Funding: 240,000 USD
Period: 2003-05

42. Title: Caspase-3-independent programmed cell death in the MPTP mouse model of Parkinson’s disease
Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: The National Parkinson Foundation-Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (USA)
Funding: 35,000 USD
Period: 2003-04

43. Title: Chronic blockade of mitochondrial function and experimental models of Parkinson’s disease Principal Investigator: Miquel Vila
Agency: American Parkinson’s disease Association (USA)
Funding: 35,000 USD
Period: 2002-03