Nanomedicine to tackle rare diseases
Experts in nanomedicine from various fields have gathered today for the fifth consecutive year at Nano Rare Diseases Day. This event is co-organized by IRSJD and the NANOMED Spain platform, coordinated by IBEC, showcasing the latest advances in nanomedicine for the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases.
The event, attended by around 80 people in person and online, welcomed the perspectives of various stakeholders: researchers, business professionals, clinical practitioners, health authorities, patients, etc. More specifically, this year's speakers focused on explaining the latest advances in the treatment of muscular dystrophies.
The conference commenced with opening remarks from Joan Comella, director of the Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute (IRSJD), and Josep Samitier, director of IBEC and scientific coordinator of the Nanomed Spain platform.
During the first presentation was discussed the role of nanomedicine in the treatment and diagnosis of rare diseases, and was presented the Únicas SJD project. Nanotechnology ranks third among the so-called 'enabling technologies,' which enhance user performance and capabilities. Some applications of nanomedicine include organs-on-a-chip and 'mini organs' or organoids, both enabling in vitro studies on pathologies and personalized drug effectiveness for patients.
Other speakers in the conference included Marian Kober from the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Cecilia Jiménez Mallebrera from the IRSJD, Juanma Fernández Costa from the IBEC, Uliana Musokhranova from IRSJD, María de la Fuente from DIVERSA Technologies, and Begonya Nafría from IRSJD.
"We seek alliances and collaboration among the entities involved in the study and treatment of rare diseases: research centers, hospitals, and companies. We aim to enhance health using science and technology at the nanoscale."