More Peruvian scientists are being championed abroad thanks to their successful research and discoveries. On this occasion it was the turn of Arequipa's Christian Lino Cárdenas, who won the 2020 Physician-Scientist Development Award, thanks to his alternative treatment of aortic aneurysm, a disease that affects the walls of this important artery in the body.
A pharmaceutical chemist by profession, Lino Cárdenas presented a brilliant project that earned him this award from the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) at Massachusetts General Hospital in the United States.
His achievement was no mere spark of genius. The Peruvian scientist worked very hard on this project.
Persistent work
The scientist, who graduated from the Santa Maria Catholic University (UCSM), had long been losing sleep in his quest to find an alternative treatment for aortic aneurysm. More than merely a professional goal, he was determined to help those who suffer from this medical condition.
After several time-consuming investigations, Lino managed to come up with an interesting proposal, which he pursued while working as a specialist in Microbiology and Genetics at the Cardiovascular Research Center of the Massachusetts hospital.
"Through this proposal he seeks to find sufficient information on the causes, effects and pathway of autophagy (a process that allows cells to fight adverse situations and get rid of everything that has broken down or no longer serves them), so as to be able to effectively treat aortic aneurysm," the newspaper Correo recently explained.
Throughout his tireless research, Lino also served as an instructor at the Harvard Medical School.
Cooperative work
Thanks to this award, Christian Lino Cárdenas will receive a major economic grant with which to invest and help fund his research.
"The Physician-Scientist Development Award seeks to provide grant funds to advance research at Massachusetts General Hospital. This year, up to $180,000 was granted per project, which must be invested over a period of up to four years," added the aforementioned media outlet.
Lino shares his research work with the team of the Genomics and Neurovascular Diseases Laboratory at UCSM, with whom he has undertaken research on SARS-CoV-2, also known as coronavirus.
According to data from the Andina news agency, these leading scientists "study how estrogens (female steroid sex hormones) can break the molecular basis of interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) virus and the glycosylated human ACE2 receptor, to prevent infection of cells by the virus."
"The results of the studies provided new insights into the mechanisms by which estrogens can bind to the glycosylated human ACE2 receptor (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2, which is bound to cell membranes in the lungs, arteries, heart, kidney, and intestines), blocking the entry of the virus into the human body," the source adds.
Discoveries in sight
The studies have yielded significant results. So far, researchers have been studying data related to why COVID-19 cases are proportionately less severe in women compared to the male population. Among the mechanisms found, genetic variation and other differences linked to sex hormones stand out.
It is important to mention that, in addition to Lino, this team of Peruvian professionals is made up of Doctors Karin Vera López, Gonzalo Dávila Del Carpio, Badhin Gómez Valdez and Jorge Alberto Aguilar Pineda.
For all those who wish to know a little more about this prestigious research, you can visit the database of the Biorxin.com platform.
Sources: Correo/ Andina
