In fulfillment of its mission to “promote research”, the Bunge y Born Foundation has strengthened its action in the area of health and Biological Sciences by holding the First Biennial Competition for Grants for Research into Infectious Diseases in the framework of those considered to be neglected. There is special emphasis on parasitic diseases and those transmitted by vectors, which in the human being give rise to serious long-term effects and disability, including death.

The Jury charged with the task of selecting the winners was presided by Dr. Mercedes Weissenbacher and supported by Drs. Diana Masih, Sergio Ángel, Andrea Gamarnik, Gerardo Mirkin, Mara Rosenzvit and Nicolás Scheigmann. Their evaluation of the projects took into account their originality and relevance as well as a coherent link between the objectives, hypotheses and methodology with the experience of the project leader and his team, among other factors taken into consideration.

On the occasion of the presentation of the grants, Dr. Ludovico Videla, Executive Director of the Bunge y Born Foundation talked about neglected diseases and said that “these affect the poorest communities, living in isolated rural areas, districts in the outskirts of the big cities or conflict zones which continue to be a problem as there is little action taken to fight them and they are low down on the list of public health priorities. The lack of reliable statistics has also made it difficult to counter them adequately. In Argentina we have Cystic Hydatidosis, Leptospirosis, Leishmaniasis, hemorragic fever and the Hantavirus.

In these cases, the infections are associated with the poor quality of drinking water, living and sanitary conditions. Children are the most vulnerable to these diseases that kill or disable millions of people each year, causing physical pain and social stigma for life.”

He added that “however, there are reasons to be hopeful. Many of these diseases can be cured, prevented and even eradicated. On the other hand, support to new lines of research into the factors that cause them will also have a positive effect on control measures.”

Dr. Daniela Catalano Dupuy, from the National University of Rosario thanked the Bunge y Born Foundation for the grants and said that “in Argentina, there are many research groups with original ideas and projects but which do not always have access to the resources needed to carry them out. In this context, we should draw attention to the interest shown by the Bunge y Born Foundation in promoting and stimulating these projects, helping to improve the quality of Science as practiced in our country. Personally, I believe that the importance of “doing Science” is not just about the generation of new know-how on specific subjects, but also in the implication that this has for the training of human resources who, are obviously, those who will be making the development of society possible.

WINNERS OF THE 2008 COMPETITION

BUNGE Y BORN FOUNDATION GRANTS FOR RESEARCH INTO INFECTIOUS DISEASES

- Alvarez, Luis Ignacio, graduated in Veterinary Medicine and has a Doctorate in Animal Sciences from the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences of the National University of the Center of the Province of Buenos Aires. He Works in the pharmacological area in the department of Physiopathology of the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences of the UNCPBA. The subject of his Project is “Pharmaco-therapy of Cystic Hydatidosis : Optimizing the clinical efficiency of Flubendazole.” Subsidy FBBEI1/08

- Catalano Dupuy, Daniela L., graduated in Biotechnology and has a doctorate in Biological Sciences from the Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences of the National University of Rosario. She works on the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Rosario (IBR) of the National University of Rosario. Her project is “A highly efficient ferdozine-NADP reductase in the redox metabolism of Leptospira interrogans. A possible target for combating this bacteria” Subsidy FBBEI2/08

- García, Cybele, graduated in Biological Sciences and has a Doctorate in Chemical Biology from the Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires. She is currently working at the Virology Laboratory in the Chemical Biology Department of the Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires. Her project is called “The study of the interactions of the Z protein from the Junin arenavirus with cellular proteins using siRNAs.” Subsidy FBBEI3/08

- Gómez Villafañe, Isabel Elisa, graduated in Biological Sciences and has a Doctorate in Biology from the Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires. She works at the Department of Ecology, Genetics and Evolution of the Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires. The subject of her project is “Study of the ecology of the rodent community in protected areas, particularly in species carrying the hantavirus” Subsidy FBBEI4/08

- McCarthy, Cristina, graduated in Biology with a Zoological orientation in the Natural Sciences Faculty and has a Doctorate from the Faculty of Exact Sciences both from the University of La Plata. She is currently working in the Regional Genome Study Center at the University of La Plata. The subject of her project is “The metagenome characterization of the microbes associated to Lutzomyia species, which are vectors for Leishmaniasis”. Subsidy FBBEI5/08

- Parodi Ramoneda, Cecilia María, graduated as a Biochemist from the Catholic University of Córdoba and as a Doctor in Virology from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Buenos Aires. She is working at the Experimental Pathology Institute – CONICET, in Salta. The subject of her project is “The influence of factors relating to the host and parasite in the clinical evolution of Leishmaniasis and in the acquisition of resistance to treatment.” Subsidio FBBEI6/08