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Scientific and Medical Research Collaboration

R & D STHS carries out basic scientific research and clinical collaborations with various scientific and medical Institutions worldwide.
 

FDA-NCTR: Together with researchers at the FDA/NCTR center in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA and SigmaTau HealthScience Pomezia, Italy is carrying out a joint project to examine mechanism(s) of toxicity and role of carnitines and other metabolic compounds for their potential benefit in various diseases states, especially neurodegenerative diseases and neurotoxicity due to substances of abuse such as methamphetamine and cocaine. This research applies the latest gene arrays such as the cDNA array, as well as neurobehavioral, neurophysiological and neurochemical approaches. The mitochondria and the metabolic systems are the main targets for these studies and further techniques e.g. electrophysiological and confocal microscopy techniques will also be used in this project.

University of South Carolina, Charleston - USA: Research collaboration with Professor Naren Banik, Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC is being established. The role of carnitines in the neurone regeneration process, in particular spinal cord regeneration following trauma, is being studied.

Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dept. Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rome -ITALY: Together with Dr. Giovanni Laviola and Dr Ronald Herning (NIDA) we have a NIDA, NIH sponsored project into the neurobehavioral as well as neurotoxicity problems associated with the abuse of Methamphetamine and other drugs.

University of Roma, La Sapienza, Rome - Italy: Research collaboration with Dr Luciano Saso and his colleagues on neurotoxicity studies to find protective agents against various neurotoxic agents, in particular on toxicity of amyloidal peptides and other potential harmful agents to the CNS.

University of Cagliari, Cagliari - Italy: Together with Prof Rino Mancinelli's group at the Department of Applied Sciences to Biosystems, Section of Human Physiology and Nutrition, University of Cagliari, the muscular bioenergetic mechanisms are being studied.

University of Padova, Padova - Italy: Together with Prof. DiLisa we have in vitro research studies on the effects of Carnitines on apoptosis and on the damages induced by UV radiation, burns or toxic substances.

Free University and Humboldt-University, Berlin – Germany: Together with Prof. David Groneberg we have a research collaboration to find effective protective strategies for the pulmonary system and agents to aid function and enhance respiratory efficiency in disease states. 

University of Pisa, Pisa – Italy: Together with Prof Francesco Fornai we are examining factors leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and other causes of behavioral impairment. I n particular we are examining agents in a new model of Parkinson's disease.   

IBMC, Neurobehavior Unit, Porto - Portugal: Together with Dr Teresa Summavielle with are looking at the action of Carnitines in MDMA neurotoxicity. 

Institute of Surgical Sciences, University Hospital, Uppsala University Sweden. Together with Prof Hari Shanker Sharma we are examining strategies for Neuroprotection and Neuroregeneration.

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, NIH), Molecular Neuropsychiatry Branch, Baltimore – USA: Together with Dr Ronald Herning and Dr Giovani Laviola (ISS, Rome, Italy), Prof Ashraf Virmani (Scientific and Clinical, R & D, STHS) has an official NIDA sponsored project into the role of metabolism in drug addiction (Methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, igobaine). In particular, the neurobehavioural and CNS changes related to drug abuse.

Research Publications ->