160 companies vying for the finals
The summit was held in the heart of the Basel Area 鈥� a European life sciences hub known for its high concentration of medical companies. The event brought together key healthcare decision-makers and over 6,000 participants. Speakers included Amal Clooney, Anthony Fauci and astronaut Tim Peake. In this prestigious setting, the Polish Vguard device generated significant interest from investors and the medical community.
The competition involved a multi-stage evaluation process. One hundred and sixty startups submitted applications. Based on documentation and video materials, 15 companies were selected to present themselves live, three of which advanced to the finals, including Cogniguard, presenting the Vguard device. The projects were evaluated by an international panel of experts representing companies such as Roche, Novartis, AWS and Elaia Partners. Participation in the finals was an important step in positioning this technology internationally.
From the study of neural mechanisms to innovative technology
The research into the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive processes, conducted for years at the Department of Neurobiology, led to the initiation of a collaboration with Cogniquard and the implementation of research on non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). This research laid the foundation for the development of new technological solutions used in the device, which utilize the physiological period of memory consolidation 鈥� sleep.
As Prof. Jan Konopacki, a consultant and researcher under whose supervision the research was conducted, points out:
鈥� The task of the team at the Department of Neurobiology was to develop preclinical studies on an animal model that would enable the development of future clinical protocols, parameters of vagus nerve stimulation and the collection of other information necessary in the therapeutic process (鈥�) During this time, we made a significant discovery that dominated subsequent projects. It turned out that electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve has been found to induce hippocampal theta rhythm, an EEG activity that is associated with REM sleep and memory consolidation.
Dr hab. Renata Bocian, who conducted the research, also explains what it consisted of:
鈥� Dr hab. n. med. Adam Broncel presented us with the idea of research aimed at checking whether the method of vagus nerve stimulation, used for many years in the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, depression and migraine, could be used in the treatment of memory disorders. The demonstration that stimulation of the vagus nerve induces a response in the hippocampus, a brain structure associated with memory and learning processes was a breakthrough in our research. In response to the stimulation, we observed theta rhythm in the hippocampus, which is a physiological marker of memory consolidation. In the next stages, we went a step further, trying to determine the neurochemical basis of the observed effect. The obtained results suggest that vagus nerve stimulation induces increased release of endogenous acetylcholine and noradrenaline in brain structures involved in the memory consolidation process. Activating this mechanism only requires the appropriate initiating stimulus, e.g. an electrical impulse generated by the Vguard device.
You will find more information about the collaboration with Cogniguard and details of the research conducted at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection (WBiO艢) that led to the development of the device, in the article: Neuromodulation 鈥� New Direction in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. Success of Researchers from the UniLodz Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection.
Source: Cogniguard
Edit: Mateusz Kowalski, Kamila Knol-Micha艂owska (Promotion Centre, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, 91桃色)