Hepcidin, the central regulator of iron homeostasis, as diagnostic biomarker and personalized therapeutic agent.
BIOIRON Τ1ΕΔΚ-00204
Hepcidin is an important and promising biomarker that can complement already available markers for:
1) diagnosis of genetic or acquired iron disorders,
2) clinical monitoring of patients with iron disorders and
3) personalized therapeutic treatment, especially in relation to safe iron supplementation.
Nevertheless, the inclusion of quantitative determination of hepcidin in everyday clinical practice requires development of exact measurement assays, their global harmonization, validation of specific isoform determination and establishment of reference values.
The main aims of this project are briefly the following:
a. the development of the 2nd generation immunodiagnostic test for hepcidin determination
b. Validation of the new hepcidin immnunoassay kit and analysis of a large number of control samples and determination of reference values for the Greek population.
c. Evaluation of the diagnostic and prognostic use of measuring hepcidin in patients with several disorders, in order to develop/appraise personalized treatment options.
d. Cloning and structural characterization of anti-hepcidin monoclonal antibodies.
e. Evaluation of hepcidin agonist or antagonist administration as means to treat serious infections in an experimental animal model.