Vascurion

 

In an ischemic model, where a vasoconstrictive peptide (ET-1) is injected into the eye, mimicking the pure flow-effects of glaucoma, we have shown that the powerful vasodilating peptide (CGRP) can mitigate the damages.  The increased flow to the eye prevents ischemic damage in the eye, and effects of a single treatment can be observed even after 21 days on both photoreceptor response (a-waves) and bipolar cells (b-waves)

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Research Highlights

1. Funded by the Innovation Foundation - Innoexplorer
2. Targeting the root cause – reduced blood flow
3. Strongly reduced damage of both photoreceptors and bipolar cells.
4. Team members with experience from basic research, pharmaceutical industry and the clinic.
5. PCT filed December 2019
   

Pain

 

We will focus on the influence of changes in estrogen during the menstrual cycle, which are strongly associated with migraine attacks. Underlying molecular mechanisms for this hormonal effect, however, are unknown. We propose that estrogen influences migraine susceptibility by regulating oxytocin receptor (OTR) activity in the trigeminovascular (TGV) pain pathway. When estrogen drops so does oxytocin related signaling, and the OT’s counteracting effects on CGRP (calcitonin-gene related peptide) signaling, a pro-migraine trigeminal transmitter, is lost. In this proposal, we use rat models to test predicted interactions of estrogen, OT and CGRP in the TGV system.

 

Research Highlights

 

1. Funded by the International Headache Society

2. Hormones and migraine

3. Team partners in Sweden and USA

4. Designing and understanding migraine treatments

Vasculature

 

We are using ex vivo pharmacological analysis of artereries to determine their contractile and relaxant properties. Many of these compounds are released from sensoy innervation of the vasculature linking the project to sensory biology. We expand on our findings using ishemic models and in vivo analysis.

 

Research Highlights

 

1. Applying for funding.

2. Analysis of coronary arteries

3. In vivo ischemia and PV-loop measurements

4. Project startup expected 2020