Neurodegenerative diseases with their complex nature require a concerted global effort to unravel their underlying mechanisms and develop effective diagnostics and treatments. The EPND Catalogue aims at accelerating progress in neurodegenerative disease research by providing a centralised hub for information on available data and biosamples from research cohorts from around the world. Researchers of the National Centre for Excellence in Parkinson’s Disease (NCER-PD) have played an important role in its development.
“The samples and data that patients and healthy controls donate to our research are a unique basis for research and innovation for diagnosis, treatment and future prevention of Parkinson’s disease,” explains Prof. Rejko Krüger, coordinator of NCER-PD. “Hence, we have to make sure that the information entrusted to us by study participants can be used to the maximum to answer as many open research questions as possible – in Luxembourg and together with our international partners.” Several research institutions abroad have also set up research cohorts to investigate various neurodegenerative diseases, with whom Luxembourg researchers already collaborate successfully. However, it is difficult for researchers worldwide to identify, which data and samples are available where, as data is scattered across many different institutions, countries, and databases.
Recognising this unmet need for a unified approach, the EPND Catalogue emerges as an important resource for researchers worldwide. This innovative platform consolidates information from over 75 studies spanning 12 disease areas and involving more than 240,000 participants from 17 countries. By comprehensively mapping these diverse datasets and biosamples in a scalable and sustainable manner, the EPND Catalogue provides a unique navigation system and empowers researchers with unparalleled access to invaluable resources for their investigations.
“The importance of such a data catalogue cannot be overstated. It serves as a vital repository of knowledge, providing researchers with a comprehensive overview of existing studies, thereby facilitating access to data and samples,” explains Dr Clarissa Gomes, project manager of NCER-PD who contributed to the new functionalities of the ENPD Catalogue and Luxembourg’s representation therein. “This not only fosters transparency and reproducibility but also facilitates the identification of gaps and opportunities for further exploration and accelerates the translation of research discoveries into clinical applications.”
>> Read more about the new functionalities of the EPND Catalogue in the original press release.