13 Aragonese researchers get grants to develop projects on health.

– investigated on various topics, such as gene variants in obese children, the diagnosis of glaucoma, esophageal cancer and the treatment of stomach cancer, that will have impact in improving the health of the population

Zaragoza, December 2011.- El Instituto de Salud Carlos III has just resolved its call for research projects in health, belonging to the strategic action in health of the Ministry of science and innovation (MICINN). In Aragon, the entity in charge of presenting the projects of the Aragonese health system to the call, the most important specific health projects in Spain, is the Aragonese Institute of Health Sciences (I+CS).

In 2011, the I+CS has submitted to the call a total of 28 projects, which have been granted 10 projects, which accounted for 35.7% of success, slightly higher than the average national, located in the % 33,15. Thus, ten Aragonese researchers lead teams to start projects in the following areas: surgery of transplants, mental health and gene variants in obese children, diagnosis of glaucoma, prevention and prenatal diagnosis of congenital infections, consumption of resources in health servicesneuro-ophthalmology, cancer of the esophagus and efficacy of treatments in gastroenterology. all lines of research have a clear orientation towards the improvement of health and the prevention of the disease in the population. Projects should be made over the next three years, from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2014.

On the other hand, the Ministry of health has also granted aid for 3 non-commercial clinical research projects run by the I+CS. Projects, which should be made within one year (extendable to two), will focus on the therapeutic efficacy of drugs used in retinal neurodegenerative diseases and the treatment of fibromyalgia, as well as effectiveness of the salicylic acid acetyl to prevent complications in pregnancy.

The I+CS is the Manager public centre of knowledge in biomedicine and health, which includes professionals of hospitals and primary care of Aragon and whose mission is to facilitate effective innovation in health services through the management of knowledge.