Research project at the University of Coimbra focuses on the therapeutic potential of blueberry leaf, a wasted agricultural by-product, for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis.
This was one of the 15 projects awarded an Ignition Scholarship financed by INOV C 2020, a project supported by ERDF funds that aims to leverage entrepreneurship and innovation ideas in the central region.
With a view to creating nutraceutical products with neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties for therapeutic use in Multiple Sclerosis and in neurological and psychiatric illnesses, the research team is currently developing a new technology to obtain phenolic compounds (CP) capable of act on the Central Nervous System, which are present in high content in blueberry leaves.
Multiple Sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease for which current therapeutic strategies have proved insufficient, limiting themselves to controlling the symptoms and/or delaying the evolution.
In Portugal, there are about 60 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and a growing incidence, following the world trend, which makes the search for new solutions important.
«Using the therapeutic properties of the blueberry leaf, we will simultaneously be taking advantage of endogenous resources and adding value to a by-product currently wasted», explain Sofia Viana and Flávio Reis, researchers responsible for the project.
With experience in the areas of pharmacology, neurology and phytochemistry, the project has a multidisciplinary research team from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, in collaboration with the Superior School of Biotechnology of the Catholic University of Porto, and the sponsorship of Cooperativa Agropecuária dos Agricultores de Mangualde CRL (COAPE), an essential partner for valuing the blueberry leaf as an agricultural by-product.
The Ignition Grants of the INOV C 2020 program were awarded in mid-2018 to fifteen scientific research projects with commercial applicability. The projects represent a total investment of €150,000 thousand, with a maximum ERDF funding of €8,500 per grant.
INOV C 2020 supports innovative projects in Portugal
The INOV C 2020 consortium, led by the University of Coimbra, comprises ten core partners: the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, the Pedro Nunes Institute, ITeCons, SerQ, ABAP, Obitec and TagusValley.
INOV C 2020 is a strategic project co-financed by the 2020 Center, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with an execution period between 18 April 2017 and 17 April 2019. €1,627,614, with €1,383,472 financed by the ERDF.
The objective of the INOV C 2020 project is to consolidate the Centro Region as a national reference in the creation of products and services resulting from Research & Development activities.
The consolidation of the Innovation Ecosystem, through the incorporation of a wide range of resources, infrastructure and responses to specific challenges, is also part of its mission. INOV C 2020 follows the INOV C Strategic Program, carried out between 2010 and 2015.