Able against intellectual disability. This is the motto of the awareness and fundraising campaign that the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is carrying out this December, and that will have its climax next Friday 23rd, when the Christmas Concert of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat is celebrated.
Intellectual disability seriously affects the mental and adaptive capacity of the people who suffer from it; it causes disruption of the development and of neuron communication in their brain, and it is very often due to genetic mutations. Recent scientific advances have made it possible to identify several genes associated with this disease, such as those studied by the IDIBELL research group led by Dr. Xavier Altafaj. The researchers’ project, carried out at L’Hospitalet, evaluates the effect of a set of mutations on receptors involved in neurotransmission, and does so in order to design personalized therapies that can be quickly applied to clinical practice and contribute to the quality of life of the affected people.
Aiming to raise funds for this research project, IDIBELL once again joined the global movement GivingTuesday, which dedicates one day around the world (November 29) to celebrate the action of giving. Then, on December 14th , Dr. Altafaj explained his research in a session of the scientific dissemination cycle “Pessics de Ciència”, held in Can Riera. Furthermore, thanks to an agreement between IDIBELL and L’Hospitalet City Council, the two Christmas concerts organized this year in the city will also raise funds for this project against intellectual disability.
On the one hand, the Concert of Choirs of l’Hospitalet, celebrated last December 17th in the church of Santa Eulalia de Mérida, with the participation of the corals Xalesta, Elisard Sala and Heura, and the Adinoi and Creixent choris, gathered close to 400 people. On the other hand, the Concert of the city, which will take place on the 23 at 9 pm at the Joventut Theatre, will feature the show “100 years Sinatra” by artist Bruno Oro and Dream Big Band Vicens Martin. The profits from the tickets sale of this concert will also be used, in full, to fund the design of personalized therapies for the treatment of intellectual disability at IDIBELL.