Latest news with #IBSAFoundation
The Independent
23-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
The tiny pacemaker smaller than a grain of rice that could revolutionise heart surgery
A pacemaker that's smaller than a grain of rice and can be injected into the heart through the skin, without the need for surgery, has been invented by scientists. Pacemakers use electric pulses to steady heartbeats and protect the organ against potentially fatal abnormal rhythms. The small device is typically about the size of a matchbox and weighs about 20 to 50g. It consists of a pulse generator, which has a battery and a tiny computer circuit, and one or more wires known as pacing leads, which attach to your heart. But at just 1.8mm wide, 3.5mm long and 1mm thick, researchers at Northwestern University in Illinois, US, have developed one that is smaller than a grain of rice. The pacemaker has no wires and does not need to be removed at a later date because it dissolves. A study published in the journal Nature found the miniature pacemaker worked well in mice and rats and successfully corrected abnormalities in heart rhythm. Scientists came up with the invention while searching for a way to monitor the hearts of babies who had undergone life-saving cardiac surgery. 'Our major motivation was children,' cardiologist Igor Efimov, who co-authored the study, told science publication IBSA Foundation. 'About 1 per cent of children are born with congenital heart defects, [and often] in about seven days or so [of temporary stimulation], most patients' hearts will self-repair. But those seven days are absolutely critical.' Affecting one in 100 babies born in the UK, those with a congenital heart defect may need surgery before being fitted with a temporary pacemaker to monitor heart rhythm. It is then removed again at a later date. But surgery is risky and can lead to infection, lacerations and perforations. However, with this new pacemaker, the risk of life-threatening complications is reduced because it is small enough to fit into a syringe and can be inserted without the need for surgery. The mini pacemaker is made with two electrodes of different metals, which, when in contact with the body's fluids, generate an electrical current capable of stimulating the heart when needed. Its soft and flexible structure also means it can fit onto the heart wall without the need for invasive stitches. Researchers hope the device will open up new possibilities for cardiologists, including being able to give patients several pacemakers at once, enabling them to control single areas of the heart. However, these small pacemakers are not intended to replace permanent ones in patients with chronic heart rhythm problems who need them for life.
Business Wire
27-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Two Young Researchers from US Institutions among the Six Winners of the 12
PARSIPPANY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research means investing in the future. This is the guiding principle behind the IBSA Foundation Fellowships program, which for over a decade, has supported talented young researchers from universities and research institutions around the world. The program awards grants to promote innovative and potentially groundbreaking projects in lesser-explored scientific fields; and has been a constantly growing success, as demonstrated by the 259 applications received for the 2024 edition, which marked a new record, across five therapeutic areas. This year, the scientific board of IBSA Foundation selected, among others, two young researchers from Californian research institutes: Vanessa Lopez Polo, Ph.D. (University of California, San Francisco), 32, and of Spanish origins, and Enchen Zhou, Ph.D. (University of California San Diego), 34, of Chinese heritage. Vanessa Lopez Polo, a researcher at the Cardiovascular Research Institute UCSF, received the award in the Healthy Aging/Regenerative Medicine category for her project ' Exploring the role of macrophage-mediated heterophagy in aging and its potential for enhancing tissue health,' which investigates heterophagy, a key cellular quality control mechanism essential for tissue homeostasis. The project aims to understand how aging affects this process and how new therapies might be developed to promote healthy aging by modulating the immune system. Enchen Zhou, who is based at the Glass Laboratory – UC San Diego, was awarded in the Endocrinology category for his project ' Targeting Intestinal-Specific Transcription Factors to Enhance GLP-1 Release: A Novel Approach for Treating Obesity, Diabetes, and MASLD.' This study focuses on improving the regulation of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a key therapeutic target for cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. 'More than ever, it is critically important that we support young and talented researchers in their scientific endeavors. Here at IBSA, we are proud that our Foundation awards these fellowships so that these researchers can conduct cutting-edge science that can work towards improving patients' lives, ' stated Carolyn Kong, PharmD, Chief Business and Medical Affairs Officer, IBSA USA. Since its launch in 2012, the IBSA Foundation Fellowship program has attracted increasing interest, with 1,645 project submissions from researchers under the age of 40 and from 60 countries. Over twelve editions, 58 projects have been funded, totaling €1.6 million. Each fellowship, now worth €32,000, is awarded to research projects in five traditionally underexplored scientific areas: dermatology, endocrinology, fertility/urology, pain medicine/rheumatology/orthopedics and healthy aging/regenerative medicine. A particularly noteworthy statistic is the high number of submissions from female researchers: 1,041 out of 1,645 applications, or around 63%, which testifies to their increasingly central role in international scientific research. ' Supporting the talent of young researchers represents for IBSA Foundation a strategic investment, driving scientific progress and fostering a society that is more aware and better equipped to face future challenges. In a context where access to a scientific career is increasingly complex, our Fellowships serve as a tangible tool to recognize merit and promote innovation, ' stated Silvia Misiti, Director of IBSA Foundation for scientific research. At the Milan (Italy) event, IBSA Foundation announced the opening of the call for proposals for the 2025 Fellowships. As previously held in 2024, the new edition will award six €32,000 grants in the same five scientific areas: dermatology, endocrinology, fertility/urology, pain medicine/rheumatology/orthopedics and healthy aging/regenerative medicine. The sixth scholarship will be assigned to the category that receives the highest number of applications. Beginning this year, the IBSA Foundation Research Equity Prize will also be introduced: worth €5,000, the prize will be awarded to the best scientific project developed in a laboratory, research institute, or university based in a developing country. Researchers wishing to apply must submit their proposals by January 31, 2026, through the platform. About IBSA IBSA (Institut Biochimique SA) is a Swiss pharmaceutical multinational with 20 subsidiaries across Europe, China, and the United States. Its products are available in over 90 countries, and its R&D activities focus on 10 therapeutic areas. In 2025, IBSA will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its acquisition by current President and CEO, Arturo Licenziati, who has transformed the company into a multinational corporation employing over 2,300 personnel worldwide. IBSA's growth and development can be attributed to its ability to innovate by refining well-known molecules, as well as to its commitment to looking to the future responsibly and transparently, thanks to the dedication and dynamism of its people. About IBSA Foundation for scientific research Established in 2012 in Lugano by the pharmaceutical company IBSA (Institut Biochimique SA), IBSA Foundation for scientific research is the main promoter of IBSA Group's social responsibility activities. The Foundation promotes 'Science for all' through accessible information and activities that unite scientific and humanistic culture. Its initiatives include high-level forums featuring internationally renowned scientists, educational events, conferences on art-and-science and health-and-culture and research scholarships in various areas of basic and clinical research. Expand PM-1113-v2 (v2.0)
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Two Young Researchers from US Institutions among the Six Winners of the 12th Edition of the Fellowships Promoted by IBSA Foundation for Scientific Research
Vanessa Lopez Polo and Enchen Zhou are among the six winners of the 2024 Fellowships, the program promoted by IBSA Foundation for scientific research which has offered six €32,000 scholarships. The award ceremony was held today in Milan (Italy), where the 2025 call for proposals was also officially launched. PARSIPPANY, N.J., May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research means investing in the future. This is the guiding principle behind the IBSA Foundation Fellowships program, which for over a decade, has supported talented young researchers from universities and research institutions around the world. The program awards grants to promote innovative and potentially groundbreaking projects in lesser-explored scientific fields; and has been a constantly growing success, as demonstrated by the 259 applications received for the 2024 edition, which marked a new record, across five therapeutic areas. This year, the scientific board of IBSA Foundation selected, among others, two young researchers from Californian research institutes: Vanessa Lopez Polo, Ph.D. (University of California, San Francisco), 32, and of Spanish origins, and Enchen Zhou, Ph.D. (University of California San Diego), 34, of Chinese heritage. Vanessa Lopez Polo, a researcher at the Cardiovascular Research Institute UCSF, received the award in the Healthy Aging/Regenerative Medicine category for her project "Exploring the role of macrophage-mediated heterophagy in aging and its potential for enhancing tissue health," which investigates heterophagy, a key cellular quality control mechanism essential for tissue homeostasis. The project aims to understand how aging affects this process and how new therapies might be developed to promote healthy aging by modulating the immune system. Enchen Zhou, who is based at the Glass Laboratory – UC San Diego, was awarded in the Endocrinology category for his project "Targeting Intestinal-Specific Transcription Factors to Enhance GLP-1 Release: A Novel Approach for Treating Obesity, Diabetes, and MASLD." This study focuses on improving the regulation of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a key therapeutic target for cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. "More than ever, it is critically important that we support young and talented researchers in their scientific endeavors. Here at IBSA, we are proud that our Foundation awards these fellowships so that these researchers can conduct cutting-edge science that can work towards improving patients' lives," stated Carolyn Kong, PharmD, Chief Business and Medical Affairs Officer, IBSA USA. Since its launch in 2012, the IBSA Foundation Fellowship program has attracted increasing interest, with 1,645 project submissions from researchers under the age of 40 and from 60 countries. Over twelve editions, 58 projects have been funded, totaling €1.6 million. Each fellowship, now worth €32,000, is awarded to research projects in five traditionally underexplored scientific areas: dermatology, endocrinology, fertility/urology, pain medicine/rheumatology/orthopedics and healthy aging/regenerative medicine. A particularly noteworthy statistic is the high number of submissions from female researchers: 1,041 out of 1,645 applications, or around 63%, which testifies to their increasingly central role in international scientific research. "Supporting the talent of young researchers represents for IBSA Foundation a strategic investment, driving scientific progress and fostering a society that is more aware and better equipped to face future challenges. In a context where access to a scientific career is increasingly complex, our Fellowships serve as a tangible tool to recognize merit and promote innovation," stated Silvia Misiti, Director of IBSA Foundation for scientific research. At the Milan (Italy) event, IBSA Foundation announced the opening of the call for proposals for the 2025 Fellowships. As previously held in 2024, the new edition will award six €32,000 grants in the same five scientific areas: dermatology, endocrinology, fertility/urology, pain medicine/rheumatology/orthopedics and healthy aging/regenerative medicine. The sixth scholarship will be assigned to the category that receives the highest number of applications. Beginning this year, the IBSA Foundation Research Equity Prize will also be introduced: worth €5,000, the prize will be awarded to the best scientific project developed in a laboratory, research institute, or university based in a developing country. Researchers wishing to apply must submit their proposals by January 31, 2026, through the platform. About IBSA IBSA (Institut Biochimique SA) is a Swiss pharmaceutical multinational with 20 subsidiaries across Europe, China, and the United States. Its products are available in over 90 countries, and its R&D activities focus on 10 therapeutic areas. In 2025, IBSA will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its acquisition by current President and CEO, Arturo Licenziati, who has transformed the company into a multinational corporation employing over 2,300 personnel worldwide. IBSA's growth and development can be attributed to its ability to innovate by refining well-known molecules, as well as to its commitment to looking to the future responsibly and transparently, thanks to the dedication and dynamism of its people. About IBSA Foundation for scientific research Established in 2012 in Lugano by the pharmaceutical company IBSA (Institut Biochimique SA), IBSA Foundation for scientific research is the main promoter of IBSA Group's social responsibility activities. The Foundation promotes "Science for all" through accessible information and activities that unite scientific and humanistic culture. Its initiatives include high-level forums featuring internationally renowned scientists, educational events, conferences on art-and-science and health-and-culture and research scholarships in various areas of basic and clinical research. PM-1113-v2 (v2.0) View source version on Contacts For further information: Daina Basile, Kovak-Likly Communicationsdbasile@
Business Wire
27-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
The Six Winning Projects of the 12 th Edition of the IBSA Foundation Fellowships have been Awarded and the 2025 Call is Now Open
LUGANO, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research means investing in the future. This is the guiding principle behind the IBSA Foundation Fellowships programme, which for over a decade has supported talented researchers under 40 from universities and research institutions around the world. The programme awards grants to promote innovative and potentially groundbreaking projects in lesser-explored scientific fields; a constantly growing success, also confirmed by the 2024 edition, which marked a new record, with 259 applications across five scientific areas. "In a context where access to a scientific career is increasingly complex, our Fellowships serve as a tangible tool to support young researchers at a difficult time, promoting merit and innovation", stated Silvia Misiti, Director of IBSA Foundation Share The € 32,000 fellowships were awarded to research projects in five scientific areas: dermatology, endocrinology, fertility/urology, pain medicine/orthopaedics/rheumatology and healthy aging/regenerative medicine. In particular, this latter category has attracted growing interest over time, recording the highest number of applications this year: 89 projects out of a total of 259. The winners of the 2024 edition are: Masami Ando Kuri, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cellular genetics, Haniffa Lab, Cambridge, UK – Scientific area: dermatology Enchen Zhou, University of California San Diego, Christopher Glass Laboratory, US – Scientific area: endocrinology Ilaria Chiaradia, Charles Darwin Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy – Scientific area: fertility/urology Prach Techameena, Karolinska Institutet, Neurobiology of Pain & Therapeutics, Saida Hadjab Group, Stockholm, Sweden – Scientific area: pain medicine / orthopaedics / rheumatology Sergio P é rez Diaz, Karolinska Institutet, Division of Clinical Physiology, Laboratory of Medicine Department, Stockholm, Sweden – Scientific area: healthy aging / regenerative medicine Vanessa L ó pez Polo, University of California San Francisco, Cardiovascular Research Institute, US – Scientific area: healthy aging/regenerative medicine 'Supporting the talent of young researchers represents for IBSA Foundation a strategic investment, driving scientific progress and fostering a society that is more aware and better equipped to face future challenges. In a context where access to a scientific career is increasingly complex, our Fellowships serve as a tangible tool to support young researchers at a difficult time, promoting merit and innovation ', stated Silvia Misiti, Director of IBSA Foundation for scientific research. Since its launch in 2012, the IBSA Foundation Fellowships have attracted increasing interest, with 1,645 projects from 60 countries. Over twelve editions, 58 projects have been funded, totalling € 1.6 million. A particularly noteworthy statistic is the high number of submissions from female researchers: 1,041 out of 1,645 applications, which testifies to their increasingly central role in international scientific research. At the Milan (Italy) event, IBSA Foundation announced the opening of the 2025 call. Like in 2024, the new edition will award six € 32,000 grants and will welcome projects in five areas: dermatology, endocrinology, fertility/urology, pain medicine/orthopaedics/rheumatology and healthy ageing/regenerative medicine. The sixth scholarship will be assigned to the category that receives the highest number of applications. From this year, the IBSA Foundation Research Equity Prize will also be introduced: worth € 5,000, the prize will be awarded to the best scientific project developed in a laboratory, research institute or university based in a developing country. Researchers wishing to apply can submit their proposals by January 31, 2026, through the platform. About IBSA IBSA (Institut Biochimique SA) is a Swiss pharmaceutical multinational with 20 subsidiaries across Europe, China, and the United States. Its products are available in over 90 countries, and its R&D activities focus on 10 therapeutic areas. In 2025, IBSA will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its acquisition by current President and CEO, Arturo Licenziati, who has transformed the company into a multinational corporation employing over 2,300 personnel worldwide. IBSA's growth and development can be attributed to its ability to innovate by refining well-known molecules, as well as to its commitment to looking to the future responsibly and transparently, thanks to the dedication and dynamism of its people. About IBSA Foundation for scientific research Established in 2012 in Lugano by the pharmaceutical company IBSA (Institut Biochimique SA), IBSA Foundation for scientific research is the main promoter of IBSA Group's social responsibility activities. The Foundation promotes 'Science for all' through accessible information and activities that unite scientific and humanistic culture. Its initiatives include high-level forums featuring internationally renowned scientists, educational events, conferences on art-and-science and health-and-culture and research scholarships in various areas of basic and clinical research. Expand
