NEWS Alireza Salami, a Wallenberg Fellow at the Department of Medical and Translational Biology, has received an ERC Consolidation Grant. This prestigious funding will support Alireza’s research on the molecular basis of cognitive decline in aging over the next five years.
ImageMikael Stiernstedt
“This funding will enable us to conduct one of the largest and most comprehensive MRI and PET studies, along with a pharmacological intervention, across the adult lifespan, with the overarching goal of mitigating cognitive decline in older adults, says Alireza Salami.
The fact that cognitive ability deteriorates with age is something that many people experience, even in the absence of dementia. However, identifying the modifiable brain mechanisms underlying this decline – and, crucially, finding ways to delay it – remains a significant challenge. Key factors such as dopamine and noradrenaline, which are essential for cognitive function, play a central role in this process
Past research has largely focused on isolated aspects of the dopaminergic system, overlooking its multifaceted nature and interactions with noradrenaline. Alireza Salami and his research group will adopt a holistic approach by studying the dopamine system in its entirety, from dopamine production to signalling and its interaction with noradrenaline . The goal is to uncover how various aspects of neurotransmitter systems as well as their interactions alter with age. Moreover, they aim to determine whether pharmacological interventions can restore maladaptive functions in neurotransmitter systems and thus improve cognition in some older adults.
The ERC Consolidation Grant is a awarded by the European Research Council,ERC. It aims to support promising researchers at a pivotal stage in consolidating their own independent research team or program.
Applications are evaluated by a panel of international experts. The assessment is based on the scientific excellence of the research and the excellence of the researcher.
Alireza Salami has previously received grants from Swedish Research Council, the Banks of Sweden, and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation for the DYNAMIC project which examines functional and molecular basis of cognitive decline in aging using cutting edge neuroimaging methods.
