PROJECT

The SHIVA research program aims at developing personalized management of cerebral Small Vessel Desease (cSVD) : a new paradigm for preventing stroke, cognitive decline & dementia.

cSVD

Small vessels disease (SVD) is an age-related disease that results from alterations in the structure and/or function of the small arteries that supply blood to the brain. It is one of the main causes of stroke, memory loss and dementia in the elderly. The brain lesions that characterize it, and which are secondary to the damage of these small arteries, can be of several types: white matter hyperintensities (localized alteration of the white matter of the brain), brain lacunae (appearance of small cavities resulting from the destruction of the cerebral tissue), microbleeds (small bleedings occurring in the brain) or dilatation of the perivascular spaces (widening of the spaces surrounding the small blood vessels of the brain).


SVD is most often "covert" (cSVD), i.e. detectable only on a brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Major role of cerebrovascular disease in pathophysiology of dementia :

A major target for healthy brain aging !

- Covert Cerebral Small Vessel Disease :
The most frequent substrate of the vascular contribution to cognitive decline and dementia.

- Very common in older persons :
More than 4 million people over 60 in France affected by cSVD.

- Strongly associated with risk of stroke, cognitive decline & dementia.

- No specific mechanistic treatment to date.

- No recommendations on prevention.

WORKPACKAGES

The project is organized around 6 Workpackages (WP) with strong interactions covering :

  • WP1 : Innovative imaging biomarkers for cSVD diagnosis and characterization

  • WP2 : Molecular biomarkers and biomarker signature of cSVD

  • WP3 : Biological mechanisms and novel putative biotargets for cSVD

  • WP4 : Personalized early risk prediction of cSVD complications

  • WP5 : Paving the way for personalized preventive cSVD management

  • WP6 : Project management and dissemination

    • The proposed WP leaderships reflect a combination of high level methodological expertise, and strong clinical expertise and involvement to ensure optimal recruitment for the SHIVA cohort and rapid implementation of SHIVA results for improved patient care.

    GOVERNANCE

    The SHIVA project is supported by the University of Bordeaux and coordinated by Pr Stephanie Debette (coordinator) and Pr Thierry Couffinhal (co-coordinator).

    The SHIVA's Governance ensure that the objectives, timeline and finances of the project are respected in the interest of the consortium, but also the scientific and ethical coherence of the project. The Governance is constituted by the Coordinating Institution, the General Assembly and the Executive Committee with the support of operational and consultative bodies.

    Figure Governance SHIVA
    The General Assembly is composed of scientific and administrative representatives of each of SHIVA's institutional and industrial partners. The GA acts as the ultimate decision-making body of the consortium with the mission of monitoring the research strategy and the progress of the project.
    The SHIVA Project Coordination Team is, under the direction of the project coordinators, cored by a project manager ensuring the overall operational follow-up of the project, a translational project manager coordinating the clinical and regulatory components of the project, and an administrative and financial supervisor.

    The team is specifically assigned to monitoring the project and is involved in the organisational, scientific and technical aspects in close collaboration with the partnership and development support provided by the Université de Bordeaux.
    The Executive Committee is composed of coordinators and work package leaders. It acts as the main supervisory body for project implementation, reporting and accountability to the general assembly of partners.
    The Scientific Advisory Board is composed of 6 external members, international scientific leaders with SHIVA’s complementary expertise. They have an advisory role and are responsible for assessing the overall scientific relevance of the project.
    sab
    The Ethics Advisory Board is appointed to evaluate the ethical and societal component of the project. It is composed by experts in ethics, clinicians and representatives of patient’s associations.
    eab
    The Business Liaison Committee's mission is the collaborative development of strategies for the valorisation of the project. It is led by a business manager and composed of representatives of SHIVA's academic and industrial partners in close relationship with SHIVA's Executive Committee.

    PROJECT COORDINATION TEAM

    The coordination Team, under the direction of the project coordinator, is composed of the project manager ensuring the operational follow-up of the whole project, a translational project manager coordinating the clinical and regulatory component of the project, and an administrative and financial manager.

    The team is specifically assigned to monitoring the project and is involved in the organisational, scientific and technical aspects in close collaboration with the partnership and development support provided by the University of Bordeaux.

    Stéphanie DEBETTE

    SHIVA Coordinator, WP6 Leader, Neurologist

    Thierry COUFFINHAL

    SHIVA Co-coordinator, WP3 Leader, Cardiologist

    JTC portrait pour SHIVA

    Judith THOMAS CRUSELLS

    Project manager

    ML Portrait

    Morgane LACHAIZE

    Clinical project manager

    Lucile Rambelon

    Administrative & financial manager

    See the SHIVA members

    JOB OPPORTUNITIES

    There are 2 open positions to join the RHU SHIVA.. Don't hesitate to contact us for further information or to send us your spontaneous application. Thank you!
    2 Postdoctoral researcher genetic epidemiology
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