Roskamp Institute
The Roskamp Institute, founded by the Robert Roskamp Foundation in Sarasota, Florida in 2003, is a non-profit biomedical research center with an emphasis on Alzheimer's disease.[1] It also operates a memory clinic and clinical research offices in Tampa, Florida.[2] The institute is focused on finding the causes and treatments for neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, particularly the Alzheimer's disease.
The Institute's lead researchers, Dr. Michael Mullan and Dr. Fiona Crawford[3] were members of a team of scientists who discovered in the early 1990s that the onset of Alzheimer’s disease was directly related to the accumulation of the β-amyloid protein.[4] Drs. Mike Mullan and Fiona Crawford jointly found Swedish mutation in APP gene [5] in the familial form of the disease. Currently Swedish Mutation is widely used in Tg2573 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease.[6]
In September 2006, the Roskamp Institute tied up with the Institute of Neuroscience of Trinity College, Dublin to launch a clinical trial study to determine if the drug Nilvadipine might be useful in the cure of Alzheimer's disease.[7] The study has been funded by the Roskamp Institute. The aim of the study is to determine if Nilvadipine can alter β-amyloid protein. Nilvadipine is currently used to treat high blood pressure and is available in Ireland on prescription.
On May 2011, an international research consortium led by Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) announced the selection for funding of a large-scale European clinical trial of Nilvadipine, an Alzheimer’s disease drug developed at the Roskamp Institute in Sarasota. More than 500 Alzheimer’s patients will participate in the multicenter Phase III clinical trial designed to study the effectiveness of Nilvadipine. Press release regarding this can be found here Roskamp Institute Press Release
The institute is currently housed in a 41,000 sq ft (3,800 m2) scientific research facility (formerly used by Bausch & Lomb) in Sarasota, Florida. The institute facility contains proteomics, genomics, mass spectrometry, pathology, and chemistry labs. Led by Drs. Michael Mullan and Fiona Crawford, the organization employs more than 50 scientists, technicians, and other research staff.
Roskamp Institute Scientists are actively involved in Gulf War Syndrome research. They are studying effects of gulf war agents on biological pathways and identifying targets that may help identifying therapy.
References
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