as scanning or MRI. However, these diagnostic techniques give information about the structure, but not the function of the spinal cord. Spinal evoked potentials can be used to have some measure of spinal cord function, but in many cases they fail and require invasive procedures. In this project, a system based on near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is proposed to measure the neurovascular response of the spinal cord to estimate spinal cord function.

Measurement of spinal function: Compared to imaging techniques, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, our device allows measurement of spinal cord function through neurovascular response, which is not possible with current imaging studies.
Noninvasive: The technology allows noninvasive assessment of changes in local hemodynamic parameters in response to neural activation of the EM. In comparison, evoked potentials are generally invasive in order to obtain signals of consistent interpretation.

Better signal to noise ratio: Our optical system has a better signal to noise ratio than spinal evoked potentials, allowing to obtain a spinal response with only one stimulus compared to the 100 to 1500 stimuli used in evoked potentials.

Lower cost: Compared to fNIRs systems for cerebral cortex, our device will have fewer optodes, which considerably reduces the costs of the technology by about 50%, and facilitates its ambulatory use. In addition, our system will be designed specifically for spinal cord, which will increase the robustness and reliability of the system. Compared to imaging tests, our device will have a considerably lower cost (20%).

Complementarity: The technology can be used in conjunction with electroencephalography (EEG), evoked potentials, electromyography (EMG) and eventually with magnetic resonance imaging.

The market for this device is all medical centers that perform diagnosis and treatment of all those patients who have a disease affecting spinal neurons and/or their connectivity such as diabetic neuropathy, neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis or specific spinal traumatic injuries, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Nanoderm is a formulation developed by Fraunhofer Chile Research and Universidad de Talca, based on a nanocomposite for topical use for the healing of chronic or acute wounds caused by lacerations or abrasions. Tests in animals with lacerations using a cream supplemented with the polymer have shown a significant effect in accelerating wound closure.

Increased speed of healing (preclinical evidence should be able to project percentage increase in speed).

Manufacturing advantages, given the standardizable synthetic manufacturing logic.

Opportunity as an ingredient in other established products on the market to upgrade different products currently available.

Acute and chronic wounds affect people of all ages. They affect the patient’s quality of life and their management places a high economic burden on healthcare systems.

Nanoderm is a nanopolymer-based wound-healing compound that stimulates regeneration and induces an increase in Ki-67, a protein that stimulates the cell cycle. In vitro and animal model tests suggest a promising use for healing traumatic and surgical wounds, skin ulcerations, abrasions and medium-grade burns, among others.

During the last decades, the number of cases of allergic diseases has increased dramatically, especially those affecting the respiratory system. It is estimated that about 25% of the world population and 20% of the Chilean population suffer from environmental allergies. Moreover, recent studies estimate that the number of people affected by these disorders will increase considerably in the coming decades.

Currently, there are several pharmacological treatments for the treatment of environmental allergies, however, they only diminish the symptoms, without curing the disease. Although new therapeutic strategies have been generated, such as immunotherapy for allergies, the latter have limited effectiveness, high cost and require a long treatment period.

Based on this background, this project aims to develop a novel and low-cost alternative for the treatment of environmental allergies, based on the use of nanotechnology and the specific modulation of the immune response. In this way, this project developed jointly between the University of Chile and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, with the support of the COPEC-UC Foundation, seeks to generate a formulation that we call anti-allergic liposomes containing components that modulate the immune response specifically to inhibit the allergic response, and thus reduce its symptoms and provide a long-term curative solution.

In addition, through a collaborative work with the Universidad de Concepción, this project aims to identify and characterize different extracts obtained from algae present in the Chilean coast, to identify compounds that modulate the immune system and thus incorporate them to the technology mentioned above, in order to productively exploit the natural resources of our country.

• Decrease of parameters associated to the allergic response through the administration of only two or three doses of anti-allergic liposomes.
• Lower cost and greater long-term efficacy compared to traditional pharmacological treatment.

Environmental allergies are characterized as cross-cutting pathologies that affect the entire population, affecting all age groups, from pre-school children to the elderly. Additionally, these diseases occur in equal proportions in both men and women, and are present in all socioeconomic groups of the population.

Our anti-allergic liposomes would be a novel tool that would solve one of the major current public health problems, drastically reducing both individual and health system costs and substantially improving the quality of life of patients.