The Rome-based European Brain Research
Institute (EBRI) founded by the late Italian neurologist and
1986 Nobel Prize winner for medicine Rita Levi-Montalcini on
Tuesday looked set to get one million euro in funding needed to
ensure its survival after the majority reached an agreement on
an amendment to a decree on regulatory deadlines currently
before parliament.
The intervention became necessary after EBRI missed out on its
regular annual funding allocation in the 2024 budget.
In late December EBRI President Antonino Cattaneo said in the
absence of funding the institute established in 2002 would have
to close.
"For the first time, after more than ten years, the contribution
for structural costs that the EBRI Rita Levi-Montalcini
Foundation has been receiving since 2012 through the Budget Law
has not been renewed," said Cattaneo in a statement.
Consequently, the institute "will have to close", he added.
"It is a serious decision, for which the government must take
responsibility," said Cattaneo.
Established in 2002 by Rita Levi-Montalcini, EBRI uses basic
research to identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms that
are useful for the development of new therapeutic strategies for
neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, including
Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia, amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic pain, and
neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
It also conducts studies on autism spectrum disorders, as well
as rare genetic diseases.
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