Research on the molecular aspects of amyloid diseases, led by Prof. Neville Vassallo (Department of Physiology and Biochemistry and Centre for Molecular Medicine & Biobanking), has been presented at the “10th Scandinavian and Baltic Conference on Amyloid Diseases and Amyloid Mechanisms” (ADAM10). The conference was held at the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 19-21 March 2025.
Amyloid diseases are characterised by the hallmark pathological event in which misfolded proteins form sticky clumps (known as “amyloid”) that accumulate and deposit in human tissues. These tissues may include the brain (as in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease), or the pancreas (as in type-2 diabetes mellitus). The ADAM10 conference was dedicated to highlighting the latest, cutting-edge advances in the field. It was attended by academics and researchers in the amyloid field from top research universities and institutions around the world, including biophysicists and biochemists but also physician-scientists and industrialists.
During the scientific programme, Prof. Vassallo delivered a presentation with the running title “Coenzyme Q10 modulates resilience of mitochondrial membranes to amyloidogenic peptides.” All of the research work was carried out at the University of Malta as part of the “MITOLIPID” Research Excellence Programme (REP-2023-028), awarded to Prof. Vassallo by Xjenza Malta.
; the idea being to use small, drug-like molecules to protect mitochondria and hence avert damage of these life-sustaining organelles by toxic amyloid proteins. Prof. Vassallo presented new data showing that by incorporating the natural ubiquinone Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in model membranes of mitochondria, his team successfully attenuated the formation of harmful aggregates by two key amyloid peptides. Importantly, the bio-engineered membranes were also more resilient to destabilisation by the toxic peptides. Prof. Vassallo explained that our hope is to expand the project in the future by testing a wider array of small-molecules. The presentation garnered considerable interest from other researchers, and provided an opportunity for discussion and useful feedback on the research programme.
Ultimately, Prof. Vassallo underscored the importance of interdisciplinary efforts in developing novel therapeutic strategies for highly prevalent amyloid-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s dementia and type-2 diabetes.
Members of Prof. Vassallo’s research team involved in this work include Dr Adam El Saghir (Department of Physiology & Biochemistry) and Ms Raina Marie Seychell, supported by the Tertiary Education Scholarship Scheme (TESS) of the Ministry for Education and Employment, Malta.
