Slavnostní uvítání výstavy Doba genová na její druhé zastávce proběhlo ve Fakultní nemocnici Motol

V pondělí 6.listopadu jsme slavnostně zahájili výstavu Doba genová na její druhé zastávce ve Fakultní nemocnici v Motole, kde bude k vidění až do 1.12. v budově ředitelství, na přízemí před velkou posluchárnou.

Na zahájení přijalo naše pozvání řada odborníků. Jsme velmi rádi, že jsme společně definovali i další oblasti oproti obvyklým, kde mohou být pacienti a pacientské organizace prospěšné. Věříme, že je to další krok k léku pro naše andílky a další vzácné pacienty. Zároveň jsme se shodli, jak důležité je přistupovat při řešení otázky vzácných onemocnění na evropské úrovni.

Naše pozvání přijali a poděkování patří:

– panu řediteli FN Motol JUDr. Miloslavovi Ludvíkovi,

– dále panu prof. Milanovi Mackovi, přednostovi Ústavu biologie a lékařské genetiky 2. LF UK a FN Motol a primářce ústavu paní MUDr. Markétě Havlovicové,

– docentu Radislavovi Sedláčkovi, řediteli Českého centra pro fenogenomiku, který již pátým rokem vede výzkum Angelmanova syndromu,

– paní MUDr. Aleně Zumrové, člence odborné rady Asociace genové terapie, z.s.,

– europoslanci Ing. Ondřeji Knotkovi, který se zabývá vzácnými pacienty na celoevropské úrovni na půdě Bruselu,

– řediteli AIFP – Asociace inovativního farmaceutického průmyslu Mgr. Davidovi Kolářovi,

– předsedkyni ČAVO Anně Arellanesové,

– zakladateli a řediteli Donio Davidovi Procházkovi

– a v neposlední řadě naší milé Ing. Alexandře Udženiji, náměstkyně primátora hl. m. Prahy za její dlouhodobou podporu.

8.6.2023 panel discussion on Science Fair 2023 – Gene therapy

What is gene therapy, what can it potentially treat, and what are its limitations? Is gene therapy currently being used in practice? Is gene therapy safe, and what are the risks involved? Where is the boundary between treatment and genetic enhancement? Can genetic doping exist, and what are the ethical boundaries that we should not cross?

Panelists:

Klára Grantz Šašková – an expert in biochemistry, working at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Faculty of Science at Charles University, at the Department of Genetics and Microbiology. She leads a research group focused on DNA repair using proteins, studying hepatitis B virus, and nucleic acid delivery into cells using nanoparticles, which could accelerate vaccine development or improve the treatment of genetic diseases.

Radoslav Hajgajda – representative of the Association of Gene Therapy (ASGENT), a non-profit organization which mission is to connect the worlds of science, medicine, and patients.

Jan Procházka – a research scientist at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, leading the phenotyping team of the Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, which focuses on genetics of rare inherited diseases and the possibilities of gene therapy development.

Moderator:
Václav Moravec

Duration: 75 minutes
Date: June 8, 2023, at 13:00

More information on the web: Veletrhu vědy.

Article about us on the science portal vědavýzkum.cz – ASGENT: Basic Research is the Answer not only to Angelman Syndrome

Lenka and Radoslav Hajgajda founded the Association of Gene Therapy after the birth of their son Oliver, who was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome. Since 2018, this non-profit organization has primarily been involved in supporting the basic research of the Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, focusing on the treatment of rare diseases. Today, on February 15th, we also commemorate International Angelman Syndrome Day.

A frequently mentioned term in this field is mouse models, which help uncover the causes of human diseases and enable the testing of new therapeutic approaches.

The main inspiration for establishing the Association of Gene Therapy (ASGENT) was your son Oliver, who was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome. How challenging was it to start with the mission of your organization, which is to connect the worlds of science, medicine, and patients?

At the very beginning, support from a patient family initiative seemed like science fiction to us. However, my husband came up with this idea very early on, shortly after our son’s diagnosis. One thing that helped us at that time was a dark humor. We tried to take things as they were and stay above them as much as possible. One evening, we came up with a joke: “What would be the ideal gift for a boy with Angelman Syndrome?” “Well, a mouse with Angelman Syndrome, of course,” my husband replied, unwittingly foreshadowing the mouse model that scientists at the Czech Centre for Phenogenomics are now studying to help people with rare diseases.

Radoslav, my husband, initially contacted the Czech Academy of Sciences, through which we eventually reached the Czech Centre for Phenogenomics (CCP). During our meeting, the head of CCP, Radislav Sedláček, informed us that we were a welcome assistance. According to his words, we were the first patient family to decide to support basic research, and the popularization of science and research in the Czech Republic lags behind, and we, as close relatives of a patient, can help in this regard. The idea of basic research is often elusive to the general public because its practical application is possible only in the future.

You can read whole interview here: zde.