Abstract
Aim of FEROX project is to study and develop non-conventional redox active systems that use superoxide to target ferroptosis with neurodegenerative conditions as the primary target. The FEROX project will investigate novel non-conventional antioxidant systems and redox-active nano smart materials to target ferroptosis as a key common process involved in the pathophysiology of non-transmissible degenerative conditions. Ferroptosis is associated with neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, which represent the most important death causes in developed countries and that are expected to become even more significant in the future with the increase of life expectancy. Inhibition of ferroptosis is considered a prime goal in treating cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, hence the molecules and the materials developed in our project represent possible leads for future drugs in the following areas. The impact of the FEROX project can be summarized as follows: 1) acquisition of fundamental knowledge on the role of cross dismutation of HOO• and ROO• radicals to protect cell membranes form LPO; 2) understanding the role of such chemistry in ferroptosis; 3) acquisition of fundamental knowledge on the role of intra-membrane sources of HOO• as “radical-export” agents and understanding their antioxidant or pro-oxidant action; 4) understanding their potential to inhibit or promote ferroptosis and to modulate the related diseases (i.e. their potential to treat neurodegenerative conditions or cancer; 5) development of biomimetic cell-free and cell-based models to study antioxidants and ferroptosis inhibitors 6) development and optimization of non conventional superoxide-based Q/HOO• and >NO•/HOO• antioxidant systems to protect cells from LPO and ferroptosis 7) development, validation and optimization of nanovectors for biomedical applications 8) development and validation redox active nano smart materials to protect cells from LPO and ferroptosis 9) discovery of novel redox-active drug leads and nano smart materials to target neurodegenerative conditions
Dettagli del progetto
Responsabile scientifico: Luca Valgimigli
Strutture Unibo coinvolte:
Dipartimento di Chimica "Giacomo Ciamician"
Coordinatore:
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - Università di Bologna(Italy)
Contributo totale di progetto: Euro (EUR) 201.811,00
Contributo totale Unibo: Euro (EUR) 102.079,00
Durata del progetto in mesi: 24
Data di inizio
16/10/2023
Data di fine:
28/02/2026
