Thanks to the incredible efforts of our fundraisers, the MND Association is able to make a significant investment in high quality research. As of May 2024, our total commitment to cutting-edge studies was £21.5 million. Projects cover diverse research areas focused on MND. We currently* support around 127 innovative research projects. These involve over 250 brilliant researchers, all working towards expanding our understanding of MND and finding much needed solutions.
In this blog, we highlight some of the projects we’ve recently funded.
Investigating energy metabolism in MND. Lady Edith Wolfson (LEW) Clinical Fellowship awarded to Dr Kiterie Faller at the University of Edinburgh.
Metabolism is the process by which the body converts the food we eat into energy. The brain and central nervous system, which includes motor neurons and the spinal cord, need a lot of energy to process and transmit information.
Dr Faller has a theory that lack of energy in the brain and spinal cord plays a major role in causing MND and that keeping the cells supplied with enough energy may be a way to treat the disease. She will study metabolism in models of MND at different stages of the disease, even before any symptoms appear, and across different organs to pinpoint when and where things start to go wrong.
She will also examine the mitochondria (pictured), which are a cell’s energy producers, to understand how well they are working. Another focus will be on how the neurons and the supporting glial cells manage energy.
Dr Faller will test her findings in the lab on cells from people with MND and explore ways to treat the disease by correcting disrupted energy pathways.
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Exploring differences between male and female motor neurons in ALS. Project Grant awarded to Dr Jemeen Sreedharan at King’s College London
Men develop MND earlier and around 1.2 times more frequently than women. Dr Sreedharan wants to know why. In this innovative MND Association research study, Dr Sreedharan will study this in a lab model of MND made from skin cells that have been donated by a person who has some female cells (with XX chromosomes) and some male cells (with XY chromosomes).
These cells are cultured under specific conditions that turn them into stem cells. The stem cells can then be reprogrammed into motor neurons to model MND in the lab. This will allow Dr Sreedharan to compare cells that are identical apart from the X and Y chromosomes, providing a unique opportunity to study male/female differences in motor neurons in MND.
Dr Sreedharan will use a technology known as CRISPR to add into the motor neurons certain genetic mutations that are known to cause MND. This will allow him to study differences in how the male and female cells behave.
He will also carry out experiments that reduce the activity of some genes to see if this improves the health of the motor neurons. If this works, these genes could become targets for future treatment. He will also test whether small drug-like molecules can change how the genes or proteins behave. If these molecules help the motor neurons function better or survive longer, they could be developed into new medications.
Classifying ALS based on biochemical signatures. LEW Clinical Fellowship awarded to Dr David Lester at the University of Oxford
MND can affect people differently and this variability may be one of the reasons for the failure of many clinical trials. This project focuses on proteins, which do virtually all the work in our cells. Dr Lester is interested in the protein patterns found in the spinal fluid of people with MND.
These patterns can reveal important clues about what’s happening in the nervous system. Different patterns may account for the variability in how people are affected by the disease and may be related to different types, or subtypes, of MND.
Using state-of-the-art methods, Dr Lester will analyse thousands of protein signatures from people with MND. This will allow him to identify specific protein ‘fingerprints’ that will identify pathways and characterise particular subtypes of MND. By categorising a person’s MND, the most appropriate trial or therapy could then be provided for each distinct variation of the disease. This would also improve the effectiveness of future drug trials.
Standardising carer support across the FTD-MND spectrum. Project Grant awarded to Professor Eneida Mioshi at the University of East Anglia
Professor Mioshi is looking to develop a platform to support carers and health care professionals (HCPs) of people affected by Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). FTD is a type of dementia that causes problems with emotions, memory, thinking and behaviour. Some people develop this condition on its own and about 15% of people with MND also have FTD.
A previous research study funded by the MND Association, enabled Professor Mioshi and her team to develop the MiNDToolkit. This is an online educational resource for carers and HCPs of people with MND that helps them manage behavioural changes associated with the disease.
For people affected by MND and FTD, their families and carers, there is a lack of standardised support. Building upon the success of MiNDToolkit, Professor Mioshi and collaborators are going to create a sister platform called the FTDToolkit. This will provide better support for carers and HCPs of people affected by FTD and FTD-MND.
The research team will use the knowledge gained from building the MiNDToolkit to create the FTDToolkit. They will interview carers and HCPs involved in the care of people with FTD and FTD-MND. This will allow them to understand how symptoms are currently managed and develop content for the platform. The researchers will invite input from patient and public involvement and engagement groups. Once the FTDToolkit prototype is developed, the team will apply for further funding. This will enable them to test the platform in a clinical trial to determine its effectiveness.
Addressing knowledge gaps: Understanding and tackling oral health needs for people with MND. Project Grant awarded to Professor Ann-Marie Glenny at the University of Manchester
Good oral health is especially important for people living with MND. It can significantly impact quality of life, affecting speaking, eating and comfort. It can cause serious issues like aspiration pneumonia, where food or drink enters the lungs, leading to infection. NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) highlight the need for oral health management for nutrition, gastrostomy and saliva problems.
Dr Helen Chen, one of the researchers involved in this study, is living with MND. Dr Chen has noticed that dental professionals are not normally part of the MND health and social care team. Unfortunately, there is little research on the best way to support the oral health needs of people with MND. This study therefore aims to fill that gap and understand the barriers to good oral health.
Professor Glenny and her team will gather detailed insights into the oral health experiences of people living with MND. They will review the existing research, conduct interviews and carry out a national survey. The results will be used to make suggestions on how to improve dental services. They will also develop a toolkit that will help people with MND maintain good oral health.
The field of MND research is advancing rapidly, driven by cutting-edge technology, brilliant scientists and essential funding. The MND Association is incredibly grateful to everyone who supports our research and to the MND community who inspire and collaborate with our researchers to better understand the disease, develop new therapies and improve care.
To explore more of the research we are funding, please visit our website.
(* correct as of 31 May 2024)
