Posts by: Joana Carvalho, PhD

Joana Carvalho, PhD

Joana holds a BSc in Biology, a MSc in Evolutionary and Developmental Biology and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal. Her work has been focused on the impact of non-canonical Wnt signaling in the collective behavior of endothelial cells — cells that made up the lining of blood vessels — found in the umbilical cord of newborns.

July 24, 2020August 13, 2020

Gene Silencing Method Shows Promise to Treat Familial ALS Associated With SOD1 Mutations

News

A single dose of an artificial microRNA — a tiny RNA molecule that is able to control the activity of certain genes — can lower the activity of SOD1, a ... Read more

July 13, 2020July 13, 2020

2 Proteins Seen as Possible ALS Blood Biomarkers

News

Clusterin, a protein that plays a key role in motor neuron health, and ficolin-3, a protein essential for the activation of immune responses, may be promising biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral ... Read more

July 6, 2020July 29, 2020

200 ALS Patients Finish Dosing in Phase 3 Trial of NurOwn Cell Therapy

News

Patient dosing has finished in the pivotal Phase 3 trial assessing the safety and efficacy of repeat administrations of NurOwn, a cell-based therapy for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), BrainStorm ... Read more

July 2, 2020July 2, 2020

Severe Weight Loss Linked to Higher Risk of Death in Study of Patients

News

Weight loss at the time of diagnosis appears common among people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), regardless of whether they have dysphagia or other bulbar-onset symptoms, a study looking at more than ... Read more

June 30, 2020June 30, 2020

Compound Found in Blackberries Prolongs Lifespan, Reduces Disease Severity in ALS Mice

News

Protocatechuic acid, a metabolite of one of the main substances that give blackberries and black rice their distinctive dark color, can extend the lifespan and reduce the progression and ... Read more

June 18, 2020June 23, 2020

Caffeine and NAD+ Bolster Health of Motor Neurons From ALS Mouse Model

News

Caffeine, an antioxidant with neuroprotective properties, was seen to promote the normal development of lab-cultured motor neurons isolated from a mouse model of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Similar ... Read more

June 9, 2020June 18, 2020

Woman’s ALS-like Symptoms Linked to Retrovirus in Case Report

News

Treatment of people whose symptoms are suggestive of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) but likely linked to a retrovirus called human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) should focus on alleviating ... Read more

June 4, 2020June 4, 2020

Statins Not Linked to Earlier Death Among ALS Patients in Registry Study

News

Statins, often prescribed to lower cholesterol levels, are not associated with poorer overall survival in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and should not be discontinued on that basis, ... Read more

April 22, 2020April 22, 2020

Researchers Like Results of Using Nanoparticles to Carry Adapalene in ALS Mice

News

Injecting tiny particles carrying adapalene — an activator of the retinoic acid signaling pathway — to the brain and spinal cord of mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can ... Read more

April 15, 2020April 16, 2020

Shift in Immune Cells’ Balance Linked to ALS Severity and Progression, Study Finds

News

A shift in the make-up of immune cells found in the blood of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) favors specific types of pro-inflammatory T-helper cells in detriment to ... Read more