Biogem will play a prominent role at the kick-off meeting of the European project MOMENTUM at the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research on June 22nd and 23rd in Bergamo. A large group of representatives from the Institute, led by its President Ortensio Zecchino and the Scientific Director Giovambattista Capasso, will attend the meeting.

Funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe program (HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-07 call), MOMENTUM aims to better understand the causes of mild cognitive impairment (e.g., memory and concentration impairment) that can occur in people with chronic kidney disease. Particular attention will be paid to the role of so-called uremic toxins, substances that accumulate in the body when the kidneys are no longer able to perform their proper function.

The goal is to identify increasingly effective tools for early detection of signs of cognitive decline and promote timely interventions, with tangible benefits for patients, healthcare professionals, and the entire healthcare system.

Biogem plays a central role in the project, coordinating the activities of 13 partners from various European countries. The Italian institute will also be directly involved in research activities, both experimental and in the clinical study involving people with chronic kidney disease.

The Bergamo meeting is the starting point of a collaboration that will develop over the next four years. Researchers, physicians, and specialists will work together to clarify how uremic toxins contribute to the decline of cognitive function and to identify new biological markers useful for early diagnosis.

To achieve these goals, the project will adopt an integrated approach that will link observations collected on patients with experimental studies conducted in the laboratory, particularly on mouse and zebrafish models. This will allow for a better understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying the disease and to more rapidly translate research findings into potential clinical applications. The knowledge generated by the project will contribute to improving patients' quality of life and preventing the progression of early forms of cognitive impairment to more serious conditions, such as dementia.

The kick-off meeting in Bergamo will be the first opportunity for discussion among all the consortium partners and will serve to define the work program, shared activities, and coordination methods that will guide the project for its entire duration.