Rotary donates €10,000 to university's research trust

The Rotary Club La Valette Malta recently presented a donation of €10,000 to the Research, Innovation & Development Trust (RIDT) of the University of Malta.

The funds will be directed towards supporting the ALS Research Programme at the University of Malta, led by Ruben Cauchi, with a specific focus on comprehensive DNA studies involving Maltese patients diagnosed with ALS.

The donation was raised through initiatives by the club, which involved club members as well as Rotary District 2110 (Sicily & Malta) District Grant Funds. The donation was presented to University rector Alfred Vella by the president of Rotary Club La Valette Malta Clare Vassallo, in the presence of David Dingli (treasurer) and Alex Liberto (Board member) as well as the CEO of RIDT, Wilfred Kenely.

This year, Rotary Club La Valette has focused on one of the key missions of Rotary International in supporting initiatives aimed at combating disease. In particular, Rotary has a long history of working to eradicate polio worldwide. On a local level, Rotary Club La Valette aims to support projects that help alleviate the hardships caused by illness.

This investment will strengthen Malta’s contribution to Project MinE, the global initiative aimed at uncovering the genetic causes of ALS through large-scale whole-genome sequencing. By expanding local genetic datasets and integrating them into international research efforts, the programme will enhance understanding of ALS within the Maltese population while reinforcing Malta’s role in cutting-edge global ALS research.

In recent years, Prof. Cauchi and his team have achieved significant breakthrough discoveries that have positioned the University of Malta as a recognised contributor to international ALS research.

Notably, the team has advanced knowledge of the genetic mechanisms underlying ALS, providing new insights into disease pathways and potential therapeutic targets.