The Research Council of Finland has awarded funding to UEF projects in biomedicine, pharmacy and environmental law in the Proof of Concept call.
The University of Eastern Finland has received nearly 880,000 euros for three projects in the fields of biomedicine, pharmacy and environmental law in the RCF Proof of Concept (PoC) funding which supports research projects in taking steps towards commercialisation and promoting other societal research impact.
The first call for applications under the PoC scheme was opened in 2023. This second application round built on the experiences of the pilot call and focused on the utilisation of research results from research projects that had been granted RCF Academy Project funding.
The PoC funding encourages researchers to, for example, test their research results in practical settings or develop new approaches to address the needs of industry, public administration or the third sector.
The following projects received funding from the UEF:
- Novel therapy strategies for prevention and treatment of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Principal investigator: ProfessorPasi Tavi, A.I. Virtanen Institute. Funding: 299,955 euros. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common genetic cardiac disease, with a prevalence of 1/500. It is caused by over 1400 different mutations, mainly involving the genes encoding sarcomeric proteins. The main pathological features of HCM are left ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction and increased ventricular arrhythmogenesis. Here we use patient specific human induced pluripotent stem-cell (iPSC) derived cardiomyocytes and engineered 3-D tissues carrying mutations causing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in patients to test and validate pharmacological and RNA-based therapeutic tools that we have developed. These interventions are designed to improve the energy metabolism of the tissues and to prevent HCM-mutation specific pathological developments. This project uses a wide range of methods and integrates data from different disciplines for proof-of-concept validation of novel therapies aimed at prevention and treatment of HCM.
- Capacity building for the local governance of mineral exploration and mining. Principal investigator: Professor Ismo Pölönen, UEF Law School. Funding: 300,000 euros. Critical mineral exploration and mining are necessities for the green and digital transition. Municipalities can attract, direct and restrict mining projects in many ways but high-quality local governance requires successful policy choices and practical know-how on the collaborative practices. Drawing from the earlier research, the project provides guidance and trainings for a just and sustainable governance of mineral exploration and mining. Furthermore, it co-develops with the municipalities case-specific policy alternatives and solutions. The project also designs a road map for all municipalities providing capacities to anticipate and govern the impacts and potential conflicts related to exploration and mining initiatives. It collaborates closely with three municipalities governing exploration or/and mining in different stages: exploration (Rautalampi), discovery (Heinävesi) and production (Sodankylä).
- Long-acting melanin-binding carbonic anhydrase inhibitors as new anti-glaucoma medications. Principal investigator: Professor Arto Urtti, School of Pharmacy. Funding: 279,786 euros. The short duration of eye drops is a drawback of glaucoma treatment with eye drops. Eye drops are delivered 1-4 times daily which leads to poor treatment compliance of less than 50%. Under-treatment leads to poor eye pressure control, damage in the retina and optic nerve, and irreversible gradual loss of vision. The previous Academy of Finland project results show that melanin-binding carbonic anhydrase inhibitors have prolonged ocular retention and pressure reduction even two weeks after the instillation of a single eye drop. This project aims to develop optimal compounds with an even longer duration of action within the acquired intellectual property rights. The project will generate proof-of-concept for long-acting glaucoma medication that will be applied to the eye once per month as an eye drop. The project involves also the development of a utilization path including FDA consultation, regulatory strategy, and acquiring translational funding.
The RCF monitors the impact of the research projects it funds. The new PoC projects will start on 1 January 2025 and run for two years.
Source: Research Council of Finland