The Connect Immune Research initiative, is a charity partnership, which includes Versus Arthritis, JDRF, and the MS Society among its many partners. The initiative aims to understand how autoimmune diseases are linked and to explore how best to tackle multiple conditions simultaneously.
Dr Trindad Montero-Melendez
Following a successful Phase I, which saw the awarding of 10 projects, the initiative has secured additional funding from The Lorna & Yuti Chernajovsky Biomedical Research Foundation. This new funding round will support further research and development efforts to address the complexities of autoimmune diseases.
Dr. Trinidad Montero-Melendez, a researcher from William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, has been awarded a grant for Phase II after completing the Phase I project funded by Versus Arthritis. The project focuses on a 3-year drug development program aimed at creating new therapies for autoimmune diseases associated with chronic inflammation.On receiving the funding, Dr Montero-Melendez said: “This funding will allow us to conduct an ambitious drug development program, from discovery phase to pre-clinical, to deliver novel peptide-based drugs for the treatment of chronic inflammation. Importantly, it will also provide crucial support to keep fostering and mentoring the young scientific workforce of our Faculty."
Dr. Montero-Melendez's research involves targeting melanocortin receptors, a class of proteins that play a crucial role in the body's natural defence mechanisms. By enhancing the activity of these receptors, the new drugs aim to control inflammation in a manner that mimics the body's natural processes. This approach has the potential to produce safer and more effective treatments for a range of autoimmune conditions.