Dolce&Gabbana, the renowned fashion and luxury brand, has allocated a three-year unrestricted contribution to support VIMM’s research.

This contribution will support research on neuromuscular

diseases through the hiring of a research technician who will report directly to VIMM’s Scientific Director, Nicola Elvassore.

The research project aims to revolutionize the development of therapeutic strategies for hereditary neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) — genetic disorders affecting around 100,000 people in Italy, characterized by a progressive loss of muscle strength and reduced personal autonomy, leading to a decline in quality of life and, in many cases, premature death.

To date, between 200 and 300 different forms of neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) have been identified, including muscular dystrophies, congenital myopathies, polyneuropathies, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), hereditary neuropathies, and mitochondrial diseases. Their symptoms — such as motor and sensory deficits, as well as respiratory and cardiac failure — can manifest from early infancy to late adulthood.

Despite the progress made so far in both preclinical and clinical research, available treatments for patients with NMDs remain limited, mainly due to the lack of humanized models of neuromuscular diseases that could support the development of both conventional and advanced genetic therapies.

The VIMM project aims to develop a unique and innovative approach, combining DNA editing technology (which corrects the genomic defect in the nucleus) with RNA-based therapy to modulate signaling pathways within muscle cells and optimize treatment outcomes.