Reading Time: < 1 minute We’re aware that thing’s may seem quiet in terms of ‘big’ MND research moments… almost too quiet… Well, today, the pharmaceutical companies Biogen Idec and Knopp Biosciences announced that the first person has been recruited into their clinical trial to test the effectiveness and safety of a drug called dexpramipexole. – Please note: UK trial recruitment has not yet…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Tissue donation has played a vital role in many important MND research findings. Without the generosity of individuals who decide to donate their brains and spinal cords to MND research, many of the recent advances wouldn’t have happened or at the very least, the relevance of the findings wouldn’t have been known! In recent years, tissue donations from…
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…
Reading Time: 2 minutes The last few days have been quite a hectic for the research development team for many reasons. Annual conference workshop This year, our Annual Conference and AGM were held in Nottingham on 11 September. For this event, Kate and I had been set the challenge of organising a workshop on taking part in research. In our workshop,…
Reading Time: 2 minutes We’ve been extremely excited about this research finding for a while now and have closely followed the progress of Prof Ammar Al-Chalabi’s publication as it was accepted into the prestigious journal Lancet Neurology. At times this was a rollercoaster journey – one that we were carefully watching from the sidelines with baited breath. The reason why we’re…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Amanda Dean, a PhD student who we’ve been helping to find recruits for her project to ‘voice the views’ of people living with MND, has sent us an email to thank all those who have been involved, as well as those who expressed an interest in taking part. Here’s what Amanda had to say: Dear All…
Reading Time: < 1 minute GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the pharmaceutical giant, is now recruiting for a clinical trial–often referred to as the NOGO trial. The drug being tested is called ‘GSK1223249’ which isn’t the catchiest of titles which is why it is often refereed to as the NOGO trial! There are three centres recruiting from the UK, which are based in Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham,…
Reading Time: 2 minutes When the alarm went off at 6.25am on Saturday morning my body shrieked at me to stay in bed! However, as I had accepted an invitation to give a presentation on research to the Association visitor (AV) workshop that was taking place in Harrogate later that morning, it was a case of mind over matter!…
