Lindsey Shapiro, PhD,  science writer—

Lindsey earned her PhD in neuroscience from Emory University in Atlanta, where she studied novel therapeutic strategies for treatment-resistant forms of epilepsy. She was awarded a fellowship from the American Epilepsy Society in 2019 for this research. Lindsey also previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher, studying the role of inflammation in epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.

Articles by Lindsey Shapiro

Takeda acquires license to ALS therapy aimed at toxic TDP-43

Takeda has obtained an exclusive, worldwide license to AcuraStem’s investigational therapies targeting the PIKfyve enzyme, including AS-202, a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that ultimately aims to lower toxic TDP-43 protein buildup in nerve cells. While Takeda will be responsible for clinical development,…

Trial of brain-computer interface device for ALS now enrolling

Neuralink is recruiting participants — including people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — for the first-in-human trial of its investigational brain-computer interface, designed to enable individuals with paralysis to control external devices with their thoughts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration initially cleared the study in May under…

NLRP3 inhibition alone does not ease ALS inflammation: Study

Inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome — an immune system protein complex believed to contribute to the inflammation that drives amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — alone was not sufficient to ease spinal cord inflammation in a mouse model of the disease, according to recent research. NLRP3 is overactive in ALS and…

Diarrhea a barrier to using common ALS medication: Surveys

Note: This story was updated Aug. 22, 2023, to correct there are four ALS approved therapies widely available in the U.S. Diarrhea associated with a common amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment could be a substantial barrier to complying with the medication, according to surveys by Napo Pharmaceuticals. While…

Genetic factors influencing ALS survival identified in Japanese study

Researchers have identified new genetic variants that might influence survival among sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients in Japan. Genetic analyses in more than 1,000 ALS patients uncovered that small changes in the FGF1, THSD7A, and LRP1 genes could affect patients’ prognosis. In patient-derived nerve cells, the identified variants led…