NUR-SULTAN – The scientists of the Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University joined an international team to conduct joint research on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases prevention, reported the press service of the Ministry of Education and Science.
Photo credit: Gov.kz.
The Kazakh scientists will work with scientists from Portugal, the Netherlands, Denmark, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
The joint project titled “Innovative water-soluble phytomaterial inhibitors for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases prevention” received a grant from the European Union (EU) as part of the Horizon 2020 program, which is the biggest EU research and innovation initiative.
The group now plans to conduct preclinical and clinical studies.
The map featuring countries participating in the project.
Nurbol Appazov, a research professor of the Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University, said that the scientists will conduct research on camel thorn, which grows in the southern regions of Kazakhstan, and is used for the medication production. The Kazakh researchers have extracted biologically active substances from the plant that are effective in treating the initial forms of atherosclerosis.
“We discovered the valuable properties of camel thorns and presented our discovery in Portugal. Our scientific developments were of great interest and we were offered cooperation,” he said.
During the implementation of the project, the researchers will obtain water-soluble forms of flavonoids by modifying them with carbon nanomaterials. “Foreign scientists conducted an express test and confirmed that the nanomaterials we identified inhibit the development of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and will help in treatment in the early stages of the disease,” added Appazov.
Modified biologically active substances made from camel thorn have no side effects and are safe for humans.
The Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University has one of 15 high-tech engineering laboratories in the country. In the past three years, the scientists from Kyzylorda submitted patents for 60 scientific findings and plan to commercialize more than 10 innovative projects in the next five years.
