19 March 2012
Dundee study of oxidative stress attracts £2M European grant
Researchers at the University of Dundee have been awarded over £2M (2.5M Euros) to undertake pioneering work aimed at finding new ways to measure and understand the role of oxidative stress, which is a feature of the onset and progression of numerous acute and chronic human diseases.
The REDOX project led by Professor Roland Wolf at the University of Dundee Medical Research Institute, is being been supported by the grant of 2.5million Euros by the European Research Council.
Damage to the body caused by the environment and the way we live has been implicated in the cause and symptoms of numerous human diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration and has an impact on the body's ageing process.
"Environmental factors such as oxidative stress and free radical damage are associated with the aetiology and progression of most human diseases," said Professor Wolf. "This programme is targeted at clearly identifying whether modulation of these deleterious processes provides new approaches to disease prevention and treatments."
"A main aim of this project is to find new ways of measuring oxidative stress in vivo so that its role in disease processes can be fully evaluated."
The human body constantly reacts with oxygen as we breathe and our cells produce energy. As a consequence of this activity, highly reactive molecules are produced known as free radicals.
Free radicals interact with other molecules within cells, which can cause oxidative damage to proteins, membranes and genes. External factors, such as pollution, sunlight and smoking, also trigger the production of free radicals.
To counteract oxidative stress, the body produces an armoury of antioxidants to defend itself. It is the job of antioxidants to neutralise free radicals that can harm our cells.
The body's ability to produce antioxidants is controlled by our genetic makeup and influenced by exposure to environmental factors, such as diet and smoking. Changes in our lifestyles, which include more environmental pollution and less quality in our diets, mean that we are exposed to more free radicals than ever before.
Dr Colin Henderson, a collaborator in the project, commented, "If we are able to measure oxidative stress in the body and understand more about how it works then we can proceed to target prevention of the damage it causes. This would have a major impact on the development of new treatment strategies."
The REDOX project will run for 5 years through to early 2016, creating four new research posts at the Medical Research Institute at Ninewells Hospital.
Notes to Editors:
European Research Council - Senior Investigator award
ERC grants are highly prestigious research awards given to Europe's top scientists and are awarded through open competition to projects by established researchers, irrespective of their origins, who are working or moving to work in Europe - the sole criterion for selection is scientific excellence. The aim here is to recognise innovation and groundbreaking research ideas and to retain and confer status and visibility to the best brains in Europe, while also attracting talent from abroad.
http://erc.europa.eu/mission.
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