Reading Time: < 1 minute Sharing information at the symposium is what it’s all about. Today, Randall Kaye, chief medical officer from Avanir Pharmaceuticals, chose the symposium to give a presentation on a newly approved FDA drug for emotional lability (uncontrollable laughter and crying) called Nueudexta. Emotional lability is a symptom that is experienced by some people living with MND. Nuedexta is actually…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Talks on RNA biology are new to the symposium this year as it is the newest puzzle piece to the expanding list of possible cellular causes of MND. So why is RNA biology important to MND and what is it all about? RNA stands for ‘ribonucleic acid’ and plays a vital role in the creation…
Reading Time: 3 minutes The International Symposium on ALS/MND has now begun! As researchers, clinicians and health and social care professionals from around the world came together in the opening session, the room began to buzz with excitement and anticipation for this year’s three day conference to begin. Most were lucky enough to grab a seat, but as all…
Reading Time: < 1 minute As the symposium grows ever nearer, the daunting task of setting up the poster session was upon us. As we entered the poster room this morning we were met with a blank canvas of 100 empty poster boards, each of which are capable of holding four posters. With a deep breath, we mentally prepared ourselves for…
Reading Time: < 1 minute Research published today in Neuron has identified that mistakes in a gene called VCP can cause an inherited (familial) form of MND. This is the third gene this year that has been identified as a cause of familial MND which really shows the ‘snowballing’ speed that genetic research is taking. Read about this on our press release: http://bit.ly/dXcjE4 Research paper: Johnson…
Reading Time: < 1 minute Fortunately, our flight over here was plain sailing, with no delays due to weather. However, with two of our group being nervous flyers, this didn’t matter! On our arrival to the hotel (which is magnificent!) we had a walkthrough of where the conference rooms and poster presentation room will be held in. The poster presentation…
Reading Time: 2 minutes We organise the International Symposium on ALS/MND every year and it is regarded by the global MND research and healthcare communities as the conference to hear about and discuss advances in their respective fields. In two weeks time, we’ll be in Orlando, Florida making our final preparations for this years’ three day conference that begins…
Reading Time: < 1 minute We are pleased to announce that the first results from the Oxford Study for Biomarkers in MND/ALS (known as BioMOx) study have been published in the prestigious journal Neurology. From this study, a common signature of nerve damage has been identified in the brains of people living with MND using an advanced MRI technique. The findings…
Reading Time: 3 minutes This week has been quite exciting in the research development team. The symposium abstract book has been printed, the biomedical research advisory panel are meeting today to discuss the applications submitted to us for research funding in May and the campaign to save government spending on science that we are supporting has been stimulating a…
Reading Time: < 1 minute We are backing a campaign calling for the Government to recognise the importance of science; and to lay out a supportive strategy for UK science and engineering which maintains a level of investment in line with economic growth. The ‘Science is Vital’ coalition is made up of concerned scientists, engineers and supporters of science, who…
