The Foundation, Down syndrome, Madrid awarded the 6th Award for research “White Jaime” to Mara Dierssen.

Sponsored by the Ministry of education, Social policy and sport

-the Prize consists of 6,000 euros in funding and delivery of a diploma, February 11, 2010

-the theme of the papers presented has been on the research of Down syndrome in the areas of health, psychology and/or education

Madrid, November 2009- the Foundation syndrome of Down from Madrid (FSDM), in collaboration with the General Directorate for the coordination of social policies on disability of the Ministry of education, political and sports, will award the 6th Award for research on Down syndrome Jaime Blanco ” to the work of Dr. Mara DierssenAfter failing the jury in his favour.

The objective of this work, called molecular Bases of the neuropathology of Down’s syndrome: involvement of DYRK1A ”, has been studying the genetic basis of intellectual disability and their relationship with the dysfunction of cholinergic in people with Down syndrome. Although most of the trials have been carried out in people with advanced age, are becoming more frequent pharmacological studies in younger populations.
In addition, this work addresses the identification of genes candidates for the various phenotypes of Down’s syndrome as the so-called DYRK1A, a dose-sensitive gene involved in processes of memory, learning and neurodegenerative.

In this sense, the work of Dr. Mara Dierssen can have an enormous importance, since the research opens new therapeutic avenues and mechanisms underlying includes intellectual disability.

On the other hand, the jury has awarded an honorable mention to work alteration of inhibitors circuits in the cortex, somatosensory mouse TS65DN, a model of Down’s syndrome ”, carried out by Emilio Varea, Daniel Pérez Cremades, Samuel Hernández, José Miguel Blasco IbáñezCarlos Crespo and Juan Nácher.

The award, which rewards the best research work on awareness of Down syndrome in the areas of health, psychology and/or education, is endowed with 6,000 euros and the delivery of a diploma, will be given to the winner on 11 February, in a ceremony in the Hall of the headquarters of the Foundation, syndrome Down Madrid, in the Spanish capital.

FSDM

The Foundation, Down syndrome, Madrid was established in 1989 as a non-profit serving in the territorial area of the autonomous community of Madrid. Its mission is to: promote, develop and promote all kinds of activities aimed at the full family, school, employment and social integration of persons with intellectual disabilities and Down syndrome, in order to improve the quality of life of this group and their families.