What Ferblanc supported in 2020
Dr Mark Kotter (Principal Investigator) & Dr Nataly Hastings (University of Cambridge)
Following the Spring round of grant applications, in October 2020, Ferblanc was delighted to provide a grant of £25,000 to Dr Mark Kotter (Department of Clinical Neuroscience, and NIHR Clinician Scientist, University of Cambridge) and Dr Nataly Hastings (Postdoctoral researcher) for their project “Exploration of the therapeutic potential of astrocytic connectivity in in vitro models of Parkinson’s Disease (PD)”.
In March 2021, Dr Hastings provided the following update:
“Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder of older age for which no cure or disease-modifying therapy exists. Up to 10 million patients worldwide, and around 145 000 in the UK alone, are affected. This disorder is typically associated with the death of cells called dopaminergic neurones; however, recent research, including ours, suggests that multiple additional cell types in the brain and gut are also affected.
In our current study, we are focusing on a particular type of brain cells called astrocytes. These cells are known to play important roles in brain functioning, but their involvement in PD is not yet well understood, and no current clinical therapies address alterations in these cells. Continue reading here”
In May 2022, Dr Hastings provided the following final update:
“Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an incurable disorder of older age affecting up to 10 million people worldwide. Continue reading here
Dr George Crowther (Principal Investigator), Dr Max Henderson & Dr Jeremy Cosgrove (Leeds & York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust/University of Leeds)
Ferblanc are pleased to be providing funding of £17,500 for Dr Crowther’s project ‘Understanding and improving outcomes for people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) in the general hospital’ which is due to commence in July 2021.
PD is a common neurological condition that causes motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, stiffness and tremor, as well as non-motor components which include psychiatric symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, depression and anxiety.
Even adjusting for age people with PD are more likely to be admitted to hospital than people without PD. The most common reasons for admission, although related to their PD, are not a direct consequence of the disease. Pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and falls are the most frequently recorded. This means they are not always cared for by PD specialists during their stay. While in hospital, on the whole, they have worse outcomes than people without PD; they are more likely to stay longer, fall, suffer medical complications and die in hospital
In June 2022, Dr Crowther provided the following update:
“Following a covid related delay in getting the data we have now successfully developed a database of 1157 admissions of people with Parkinson’s Disease to the general hospital over a 2 year period. Continue reading here “
In April 2023, Dr Crowther provided the following update:
“We have collated and analysed data from 1157 hospital admissions of people with dementia. Analysis has been completed by our research fellow and we are currently writing two articles for publication. Continue reading here