Future Leaders in Neuroscience Research Seedcorn funding awarded to MDI Early Career Researchers

Congratulations to Loren Waters, Saul Michue-Seijas and Sian Gardiner, Medicines Discovery Institute staff members on their Future Leaders in Neuroscience Research (FLiNR) Seedcorn awards. This scheme is for the Neuroscience and Mental Health Early Career Researcher community across Cardiff University, administered by the Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation Institute. The FLiNR programme identifies talented early career neuroscience researchers from across the Schools of Medicine, Biosciences, Psychology, Optometry and Pharmacy and proactively identifies, supports, and nurtures the Neuroscience research community of tomorrow. 

Loren and Saul will use their award to fund a project titled "Validation of ASAH1 as a novel target for glioblastoma" in collaboration with Dr Florian Siebzehnrubl. It will explore a novel and selective ASAH1 inhibitor of the acid ceramidase enzyme in a glioblastoma model in vitro and it's potential for combination therapy.

Sian will use her award to fund a project titled “Finding the mechanism of action for a lysosomal acidifying compound to treat Alzheimer’s Disease”. The project will investigate the mechanism of action of a compound identified from the screening of compound libraries from AstraZeneca. Her research wil investigate the potential of addressing the dysfunction of lysosomes in the pathologies associated with of Alzheimer's Diseases.