2022 - JPND Neurodegenerative Disease Research

The European Joint Programming Initiative on Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) launches its highly anticipated International Scientific Meeting

Leading researchers from 30 JPND supported projects on neurodegenerative disease research will gather in Brussels on the 28^th April 2022, for the JPND[1] /JPco-fuND 2 mid-term Symposium.

Following the highly successful JPND /JPco-fuND Symposium in 2019, JPND will be holding yet another symposium this Thursday, 28^th April 2022 to disseminate up-to-date research achievements from 38 research projects from the JPND/JPco-fuND calls of 2017 – 2018 and the JPco-fuND2 calls of 2019. Project coordinators and their research consortiums, leading researchers and stakeholders will meet at the Royal Museums of the Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels for a one-day symposium, to liaise, network and facilitate knowledge exchange and best practices in the field of neurodegenerative disease research. This promises to provide a unique platform and opportunity for researchers to find out about one another’s work, communicate their latest research findings from their projects, build new relationships and enhance existing ones.

JPND Chair, Professor Philippe Amouyel says: “The aim of this symposium is to facilitate knowledge sharing and communication between the different research groups and to disseminate up-to-date research achievements from all completed JPND supported projects to relevant stakeholders. Networking and knowledge exchange between JPco-fuND projects and other JPND-supported projects, as well as among other conference attendees is key and help to create an international powerful community of researchers involved in neurodegenerative research. Tackling this global challenge is clearly beyond the scope and resources of any one country.”

Project topics to be presented will range from Alzheimer’s to Parkinson’s diseases to rarer diseases such as Huntington’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Prion disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Spinocerebellar Ataxia.

[1] The EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) is the largest global research initiative aimed at tackling the challenge of neurodegenerative diseases. JPND aims to increase coordinated investment between participating countries in research aimed at finding causes, developing cures, and identifying appropriate ways to care for those with neurodegenerative diseases.

The EU-funded European Brain Research Area project today releases its long-awaited
European Research Inventory and Mapping Report, providing insight into the brain research
activities funded at the European level within the EU framework programmes FP7 and Horizon
2020, as well as the funding initiatives of the EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease
Research (JPND), ERA-NET NEURON and the Human Brain Project.The mapping report
provides an overview of the current state of brain research in Europe and which areas within
brain research, if any, are the focus in Europe. It evidences that despite steadily increasing
support, funding is still lacking in all areas of brain research in the EU and more focus is
particularly needed on the importance of animal models, increasing public patient engagement
and encouraging and enabling data sharing.

“EBRA’s mapping reports highlights that constant support and increased investment in brain
research is still vital,” reacts EBRA Project Coordinator, Prof Monica Di Luca. “Despite enormous
efforts of the scientific and clinical community, the challenges in the brain space are tremendous,
spurred by a high prevalence of brain disorders and increasing disease burden.”

The need for efficiency in funding brain research is also clear: budgets should be allocated in
such a way that allows brain researchers to deliver high quality research and support of
initiatives that aim to reduce fragmentation, and collaboration and cooperation should be
prioritised. Stakeholders need to be able to work more effectively together to better leverage
their collective knowledge and succeed in delivering game-changing innovative treatment
solutions.

From 2007 to 2019, the European Commission and leading European brain research initiatives
have allocated €6 billion to about 4,000 brain research projects, an average of €500 million per
year. From 2008 to 2012, an average of 400 million was invested per year, increasing between
2014 to 2018 to 550 million, marking a steady growth. «The EBRA inventory and mapping report
demonstrates that annual fundings can reach significant levels to support highly competitive
research projects through sustainable, transnational initiatives,” remarks Prof Philippe Amouyel,
Chair of the EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND). However,
continued funding of research consortia across countries is key for a lasting impact on
collaboration and innovation in the European and global brain research area. “It is now time to
accelerate this momentum through an ambitious partnership on brain health in Horizon Europe
under a coordinated approach,» continued Prof Amouyel.

A brain health partnership in Europe should be a common goal to prioritise and ensure brain
research is recognised as an urgent need and that the maximum impact and benefit of research
breakthroughs reaches society.

The @EBRA_EU Mapping Report provides insight into all brain research activities funded at the
European level within EU framework programmes #FP7 and #Horizon2020 and initiatives @JPNDeurope, @EraNeuron & @HumanBrainProj.

Take a closer look -> https://bit.ly/3snTma0