The significant media coverage surrounding this event demonstrates the close attention the UK is giving to this centre, which is set to become a central player in the search for ground-breaking genetic treatments, with profound implications for millions of patients, both Great Britain and internationally.
The launch of the GTIMC, in the presence in particular of the Moroccan ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hakim Hajoui, put the Kingdom in the spotlight, since the center is placed under the leadership of the Moroccan professor, Mimoun Azzouz, whose expertise and cutting-edge research is at the heart of this major scientific initiative.
This designation is the crowning achievement of a unique journey of a Moroccan scientist who has succeeded in making his way in the very select world of scientific research, more particularly in a segment as specialized as gene therapy.
Before landing in England, the native of Nador completed an arduous journey marked by perseverance and seriousness which allowed him to position himself among the masters of innovative treatments for rare genetic diseases, thus transforming the lives of many patients.
The adventure in the fascinating world of scientific research began with a dream, as affirmed by the Moroccan researcher, who, with a first degree obtained at the Mohammed V University in Rabat, embarked on a long journey of academic training.
He subsequently obtained a doctorate in neuropharmacology in France, while his professional career took him from France to the United Kingdom, via Switzerland, along a path marked by excellence. and innovation.
Indeed, for several years, Professor Azzouz and his team have been at the forefront of research into gene therapies. Their discoveries have opened new avenues for treating diseases like spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), providing new hope for patients and their families.
This hard work has earned him international recognition since he has received around ten awards, including the “ERC Proof-of-Concept Award” in 2017 and the “ERC Advanced Investigator Award” in 2012. Ad hominem awards from the EU which demonstrate its pre-eminence in European biomedical research.
Even the GTIMC, newly created within the University of Sheffield, is the result of a long-term effort by the Moroccan scientist to attract a unique combination of funding from public, private, academic, charitable and local sources. “The Center supports innovation in the field of medical research to fight Parkinson’s disease, dementia, motor neuron disease and hereditary genetic diseases,” he explains to MAP.
In addition to GTIMC, Prof. Azzouz also leads research teams based at the Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), which are responsible for gene therapy discovery programs.
“Once ready to be translated into clinical trials on patients, these programs can be transferred to the GTIMC to allow the manufacture of drugs according to standards acceptable to regulators, with the aim of administering them to human patients,” explains the researcher. .
Professor Azzouz’s numerous responsibilities in Sheffield, where he divides his time between SITraN and the GTIMC, does not prevent him from nourishing the ambitious dream of seeing his discoveries directly benefit Morocco. Collaborating with colleagues at the Rabat Faculty of Medicine, he is exploring how to adapt these revolutionary gene therapies to the needs of Moroccan patients.
“I seek to establish collaborative links both at the level of discovery and translational research, including clinical trials,” notes the researcher.
Its ultimate ambition is to create a center of excellence in gene therapy in Morocco. This center, according to him, would be a boon for students, scientists, clinicians, and especially for Moroccan patients.
Professor Azzouz’s project for his country of origin, with which he maintains a very strong emotional bond, transcends medicine. He sees in this future center a lever for innovation and economic growth capable of generating jobs, attracting investments and supporting the creation of startups in the field of biotechnologies, like the companies, “BlackfinBio” and “Crucible Therapeutics”, which he recently co-founded in the United Kingdom.
2024-10-07 16:33:38