Spotlight on RIDT: Driving Scientific Advancement in Malta

As an organisation, we would like to shine a spotlight on the remarkable work of RIDT Malta. The Research, Innovation and Development Trust (RIDT) is a beacon of scientific advancement in Malta, which has fostered the progress of research and development in Malta. With this blog, we hope to create more awareness for RIDT, and show who they are, and what they do, primarily by showcasing the individuals behind RIDT and how they are contributing to the future of scientific research.

About RIDT

The Government of Malta created the University of Malta Research Innovation and Development Trust ('RIDT') in 2011 as an essential component of the country's established policy to increase government investment in R&D. The goal of RIDT is to attract funding from corporate and private sources so that the University of Malta's research environment can be effectively utilised, as well as to encourage the commercialisation of research.

Since its founding, RIDT has been able to interact with a variety of Maltese social groups and increase public awareness of the advantages of university research and the importance of funding it. This involvement has resulted in several community-funded programmes and projects, such as PhD scholarships in the following research areas: cancer, osteoporosis genetics, research in kidney diseases, sustainability, climate change, and engineering as well as a fully operational mobile dental clinic.

Additionally, RIDT has raised funds for projects in the arts. Among these is the conservation of Matteo Perez D'Aleccio's Great Siege Mural, located in the Grand Master's Palace in Valletta's Throne Room; the University of Malta's Department of Conservation and Built Heritage oversaw this project.

RIDT is a non-profit organisation that is approved to be able to receive donations to fulfil the requirements for the Malta Permanent Residence Programme and the Malta Citizenship for Exceptional Services and Investment. If you would like to support the projects mentioned below you will be able to do so as part of your residence requirements and tap into a whole community of academics, research and local innovators.

Research and Development

RIDT Malta's mission is to nurture a culture of innovation and facilitate the translation of cutting-edge research into practical applications that drive economic growth, address societal challenges, and enhance the overall quality of life in Malta. By providing funding, guidance, and a collaborative platform, the organization empowers researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators to turn their ideas into tangible solutions with real-world impact.

Here we decided to highlight some of the amazing work that RIDT has helped to fund and is currently assisting in ensuring that the work being carried out reaches as many people as possible.

ALS MND Research

Motor Neuron Disease or MND is the name given to a group of diseases that affect special cells in the brain and spinal cord, which control the muscles. These special cells are called motor neurons and their death leads to weakness and wasting of muscles, causing loss of mobility in the limbs and/or difficulties with breathing and speech. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) are the two most common MNDs of adulthood and childhood, respectively.

SMA and a small percentage of ALS cases are caused by genetic factors. In this regard, mutations or flaws in the DNA are passed from one generation to the next and the disease is said to be inherited or familial. The ALS/MND laboratory within the University of Malta is studying known and unknown genes that cause or modify MND. Several of these genes produce proteins that are expressed in every cell of the body where they perform a crucial ‘housekeeping’ role. In this regard, a key research question of our lab is why disruption of these proteins causes selective degeneration of the neuromuscular system. Knowledge gained is the first crucial step leading to the discovery of effective treatments.

Sweet Memories

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex metabolic illness, affecting at least 10% of the adult population in the Maltese islands, placing Malta in the first quartile within the European region. The potential health complications of DM are multiple and devastating, and few organs are spared: heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, limb amputations, loss of sight, poor healing and increased risk of infection, and even an early death. Not least, people with DM are 2-to-5 times more prone to developing Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) - thus directly linking these two modern-age epidemics. This scenario poses a significant healthcare challenge to the National Health Service, and a colossal economic burden for the country as the number of affected people rises inexorably: cases of type-2 DM in the under-40s have increased 39% in recent years. Despite the fact that DM is a healthcare emergency, however, we still do not have the right tools to fight it. Most importantly, current medications do nothing to slow down progression of the disease.

Prof. Neville Vassallo and his team at the Dept. of Physiology and Biochemistry of the University of Malta (UM) are actively working on just that: developing the drug pipeline for new innovative medicines that will have a direct impact on disease.

Giving Voice

The aim of this project is to offer Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) the opportunity to assess children referred with speech difficulties using a digitised version of the scientifically proven and standardised Speech Assessment tool. This novel application saves clinicians’ time as it analysis the child’s speech automatically and securely providing an efficient decision support companion while affording a better and more engaging in-session environment. Whereas a SLP takes around 1-2 hours to analyse the child’s speech sample after administering the manual version of the speech assessment the digitised version will not take more than a few minutes to come up with the respective calculations that helps clinicians with differential diagnosis of speech sound disorders. The digitised speech assessment tool will be adapted to monolingual Maltese and bilingual children acquiring the specific language pair, i.e., Maltese-English. The tool will be more accurate than the manual version as the latter is prone to clinicians’ errors when calculating manually the various raw scores and standard scores obtained through the child’s speech sample.

Primary beneficiaries are:

• Children who are struggling with developing clear speech and spoken language and who are referred for assessment by SLPs. 8-9% of children are expected to have a speech sound difficulty and require assessment and intervention.

• Wider Beneficiaries include:

  • Parents of children who are struggling to help their children develop adequate speech and language skills.

  • Teachers, kindergarten assistants and learning support educators who try to educate these children and facilitate their learning encounter challenges because they do not communicate effectively.

  • School peers who find it difficult to interact with children with speech and language difficulties because of their impairment.

• The active participants include:

  • SLPs (totalling around 150) who work within the Governmental Health Department, Education sector (Schools and support service units), Non-Governmental Organisations and private clinics.

The research is being carried out by Professor Helen Grech from the Dept. of Communication Therapy and Dr. Chris Porter from the Dept. of Computer Information Systems of the University of Malta.

Objectives

The RIDT shall apply the Trust Fund with the object of furthering the advancement of research, innovation and development in all areas of study, knowledge and activity in Malta. The application of funds may be directed to:

· Encourage research, thought, analysis, academia, innovation, and development.

· Organise, participate, sponsor, co-sponsor, facilitate, encourage, market, support, and promote conferences, seminars, symposia, workshops, and similar deliberations and ventures.

·  Publish the results of research, studies, and proceedings of conferences and seminars in the appropriate form, including that of one or more periodical publications, and engage in other appropriate activities for the development and dissemination of knowledge and skills.

· Seek, promote co-operation with academic and similar institutions for the furtherance of its aims.

If you are interested in contributing to their project and supporting their research efforts, be sure to visit their website to learn how your donations can aid in advancing Malta’s developmental initiatives.

Research Projects

RIDT Malta has been involved in a variety of innovative projects. To give you an understanding of what kind of projects and research they have been working on we listed a few of them:

1. A Breakthrough Study in ALS: University of Malta researchers have made significant strides in the study of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease.

2. Researching the Genetics of Kidney Disease: RIDT funds research into the genetic factors contributing to kidney disease, aiming to improve diagnosis and treatment.

3. Diagnosing Colorectal Cancer Earlier: RIDT supports research aimed at improving early detection of colorectal cancer, which can significantly improve patient outcomes.

4. Malta’s First Mission to Space: RIDT has supported Malta’s first scientific experiment on the International Space Station (ISS).

5. Pervasive Electronic Monitoring in Healthcare: This project aims to improve patient care using electronic monitoring.

6. Combatting Coeliac Disease Through Research: Scientists are researching Coeliac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten, and find more effective ways to combat it.

The journey of science and innovation in combination with research and development is honourable and demands collective effort and support. This idea is embodied in the Research, Innovation & Development Trust (RIDT) of Malta, which is constantly striving to keep Malta at the forefront of scientific endeavour and shaping a knowledge generation.