Posts by: Joana Fernandes, PhD

Joana Fernandes, PhD

Joana brings more than 8 years of academic research and experience as well as Scientific writing and editing to her role as a Science and Research writer. She also served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology in Coimbra, Portugal, where she also received her PhD in Health Science and Technologies, with a specialty in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

August 17, 2017

Increasing Dok-7 Protein Levels May Improve ALS Patients’ Muscle Function, Study Reports

News

Increasing the production of the muscle protein Dok-7 may be a way to treat the muscle weakness in ALS, a Japanese study reports. The research, “DOK7 genes therapy enhances ... Read more

August 2, 2017

Flex Pharma Investigates FLX-787 as Treatment for Cramps in ALS Patients

News

Flex Pharma is launching the Phase 2 COMMEND trial, which will investigate the effects of FLX-787 in patients with muscle cramps associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The preliminary results ... Read more

July 25, 2017

Scientists Learn How Abnormal DNA Repetitions in a Gene Cause Neuron Death In ALS

News

Scientists have known for some time that abnormal DNA repetitions in the C9orf72 gene contribute to neuron death in ALS and frontotemporal dementia. Now they have learned how it ... Read more

July 21, 2017July 21, 2017

Researchers Find Natural Mechanism to Prevent Harmful Protein Clumping Linked to ALS

News

Researchers have discovered a natural mechanism that can help prevent the formation of harmful protein clumps that contribute to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to results of ... Read more

July 19, 2017

Boston and San Francisco Hospitals Will Take Part in Phase 3 Trial of NurOwn for ALS

News

Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco will be among the sites where ALS patients will take in a Phase 3 clinical trial of BrainStorm Cell ... Read more

July 18, 2017

Researchers Create Musical Instrument to Be Played Using Only the Mind

News

A musical instrument that can be played only with brain activity may empower and rehabilitate patients with ALS and other motor diseases. Invoking brain scans known as electroencephalograms, University of ... Read more

July 17, 2017

Neuraltus Completes Enrollment in Second Phase 2 Trial of NP001 for Treating ALS Inflammation

News

Neuraltus Pharmaceuticals has completed enrollment its Phase 2 confirmatory study of NP001 (NCT02794857) in ALS patients with systemic inflammation. The company expects the last patient in the trial to ... Read more

July 11, 2017

Traumatic Brain Injury May Increase Risk of Dementia, but Not ALS, Study Reports

News

A moderate to severe traumatic brain injury puts a person at high risk of developing dementia, although not Parkinson’s or ALS, a study in Finland suggests. In contrast, a mild ... Read more

June 22, 2017June 22, 2017

Metal Levels in Blood, Urine, and Hair May Serve as ALS Biomarkers, Study Suggests

News

Several metals may be linked to the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to results of a small study in Italy. The findings state that levels of metals and ... Read more

June 21, 2017June 21, 2017

Onetime Malaria Therapy Pyrimethamine Reduces Levels of ALS-linked Protein, Study Finds

News

The former malaria therapy pyrimethamine reduces levels of an ALS-linked protein in the spinal fluid of patients whose disease stems from gene mutations, a Phase 1/2 clinical trial shows. ... Read more