PLN 1 Million Donation to IIMCB for Parkinson's Disease Research
Laboratory of Neurodegeneration headed by Professor Jacek Kuźnicki at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB), has received a PLN 1 million donation from a private donor. The funds will be allocated directly to Parkinson's disease research.
The private donor made this gesture based on personal experience – caring for Patricia Ann Koza, a journalist with the American news agency United Press International (UPI) - responsible for coverage of Eastern Europe, who suffered from Parkinson's disease. After her passing, the private donor fulfilled her desire of donating a portion of the estate to research on this incurable condition.
"Such generous support from a private donor, motivated by personal experience of the disease, is a tremendous honor and a milestone in my nearly 40-year scientific career. It is not only a token of trust, but above all, a commitment. My team and I will make every effort to ensure that every złoty donated is used in the best possible way – to advance the research conducted at Laboratory of Neurodegeneration and bring us closer to solutions that can bring relief to patients and their loved ones,” said Prof. Kuźnicki.
Professor Jacek Kuźnicki is one of Poland's leading neurobiologists, specializing in research on the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. He is also an expert in calcium homeostasis and intracellular signaling. Prof. Kuźnicki is also an experienced manager of scientific institutions, the long-time director of the IIMCB, and an active participant in the debate on the state of science in Poland.
The donation will enable the expansion of research into the molecular basis of Parkinson's disease and neuroprotective mechanisms, which may contribute to the development of more effective treatments in the future. We plan to collaborate with physicians who care for patients with this disease and search for biomarkers before the first symptoms appear.
Parkinson's disease is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that affects approximately 80,000 people in Poland, most often over the age of 60. Nearly 8,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. In 2016, the number of patients worldwide was 6.2 million, and according to forecasts, it will reach 12 million by 2040. Over the past three decades, the disease's incidence has increased 2.5-fold. Its main symptoms include slowness of movement, muscle stiffness, tremor, posture and gait disturbances, as well as cognitive complications and depression. The prognosis worsens with advanced age and disease progression.[1] Available medications provide symptomatic relief, but there are still no treatments that can halt or slow the progression of the disease.