Reading Time: 7 minutesMND affect cells in the brain and spinal cord, including motor neurons, which connect the brain to the muscles. This makes it challenging to study the disease in people with MND, because researchers cannot take biopsies of cells from brains or spinal cords in the same way that can be done for some other diseases. Therefore, researchers must find other ways of studying MND, such as using cell models in the lab to help to understand disease biology at a microscopic level.
Author: Research Information Team
The MND Association’s vision is a world free from MND. Realising this vision means investing more in research, further developing partnerships with the research community, funding bodies and industry, while ensuring that advances in understanding and treating MND are communicated as quickly and effectively as possible.
Reading Time: 5 minutesIn our previous blog, we took a walk through the early stages of the research journey, learning how researchers discover new things about MND and
Reading Time: 4 minutesOur first Life in the Lab blog introduced the who, what, where, when, and why of MND research. Now, we will take a walk through
Reading Time: 7 minutesHave you ever wondered what life in the lab really looks like? Who are the people working tirelessly to understand MND and find effective treatments
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn July, we held MND EnCouRage UK 2025 in Loughborough, which saw 21 early career researchers from across the UK and Ireland and over 25
Reading Time: 7 minutesThere is an urgent need for more effective treatments for MND. Researchers are focused on identifying more potential treatments for the disease and these are
Reading Time: 7 minutesIn our previous blog, we explained what biomarkers are and what they can be used for. In this blog, we dive further into the world
Reading Time: 6 minutesIn this blog, we will give a general introduction to biomarkers, including what they are and how they can be used. Then, in the next
Reading Time: 7 minutesIt is thought that a number of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors combine before most forms of MND develop. While researchers are still trying to