Dr. Ivan Dikic at Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany has been involved in two groundbreaking studies focusing on molecular details underlying neurodegenerative diseases. The studies were conducted by international research teams and were recently published in the journals Nature Neuroscience – “Haploinsufficiency of TBK1 causes familial…

A new study recently published in the journal PNAS revealed that a new cellular mechanism involving a key protein called hUPF1 can be exploited as a therapeutic strategy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study is entitled “Amelioration of toxicity in neuronal models of…

A new study entitled “Syringe-injectable electronics” recently published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology revealed an innovative method to employ tiny electronic devices in the brain, or other parts of the body, as a potential therapy for a wide range of disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases…

Researchers from the University of Toronto (UT) have recently discovered a potential way to detect a genetic predisposition for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), before the debilitating symptoms of the disease begin. The study, entitled, “Jump from Pre-mutation to Pathologic Expansion in C9orf72,” was published in the…

Q Therapeutics, Inc., a company focused on adult stem cell therapies for disorders of the central nervous system, recently announced that its product Q-Cells® has received Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the start of Phase 1/2a clinical trials in…

In a new study entitled “Dietary Vitamin D3 Restriction Exacerbates Disease Pathophysiology in the Spinal Cord of the G93A Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,” researchers evaluated the effects of a Vitamin D dietary restriction in the pathogenesis of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The study was performed with…

A new study conducted by researchers at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico recently revealed new insights into the mechanisms underlying motor neuron degeneration, offering potential new treatment strategies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study is entitled “Degeneration of spinal motor neurons by…

A new study led by researchers at the Mayo Clinic and recently published in the journal Science reported a new, important mouse model that allows the study of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia, two relevant neurodegenerative diseases. The study is entitled “…

May is Awareness Month for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The ALS Association is celebrating this year in hopes of topping the huge awareness that was generated last summer through the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and the incredibly enormous impact it had on the fight against the disease. To continue the momentum, The Association…

In a new study entitled “Phase I Trial of Repeated Intrathecal Autologous Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,” researchers performed a safety study with stem cells based therapy to treat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients and concluded it as a safe and promising therapy. The…