Markers of Disease Progression Archives

Symposium Preview: Meet the ALS/MND Plenary Speakers…Part 2

8 November 202321 November 2023Eleanor GreenLeave a comment

Reading Time: 7 minutes Each year we invite plenary speakers who are experts in their fields to provide an overview on topics across MND research and clinical practice. This year we have 14 plenary speakers talking about ALS/MND who will discuss a wide range of topics from genetics to tissue biomarkers to improving clinical practice. In this second blog we will be taking a closer look at some of our plenary speakers this year and sharing more about the topics they will be discussing.

Symposium Preview: Meet the ALS/MND Plenary Speakers…Part 1

1 November 202321 November 2023Eleanor GreenLeave a comment

Reading Time: 7 minutes As the research team count down to this year’s International Symposium on ALS/MND, we will be posting blogs throughout November to give you a snapshot of some of the research being presented at this year’s event. This year marks the 34th Symposium, the largest scientific and medical conference specific to ALS/MND, and we are looking…

Investigating differences in protein production in MND

19 October 202319 October 2023Research Information TeamLeave a comment

Reading Time: 4 minutes My name is Dr Hannah Smith, and I’m a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh. My project is supervised by Professor Tom Gillingwater, and my work is funded by MND Scotland. My current research focuses on comparing healthy motor neurons and those with MND/ALS, specifically focusing on early changes to the cellular machinery and how the motor neurons produce the proteins they need to function. I’ll discuss the specifics of that, and why we are interested in finding out this information, in the next section.

Combining different types of data to help predict prognosis in motor neurone disease

12 October 202312 October 2023Research Information TeamLeave a comment

Reading Time: 4 minutes My name is Florence and I’m doing a PhD in artificial intelligence (AI) enabled healthcare at University College London. My research is specifically investigating how AI techniques can be used to improve the prediction of how quickly somebody’s disease will progress in motor neurone disease.

A stepping stone to becoming future leaders in MND research

12 September 202312 September 2023Eleanor Green1 Comment

Reading Time: 6 minutes MND is a very complex disease and collaboration within the research community is key to building on our current understanding of the disease biology and finding effective treatments. The MND Association recognises the importance of expanding the dedicated MND research workforce, as well as supporting those who are already working in the field. To fund…

Highlights from MND EnCouRage UK 2023

27 July 202327 July 2023Research Information Team1 Comment

Reading Time: 5 minutes Hi everyone! My name’s Katie and I recently joined the Association as a Supporter Information Officer. My role offers me a unique perspective as I am in both the Research Team and the Development Team, which is part of Fundraising. Alongside our brilliant Research Team, I will be writing for the MND Research Blog on…

EXPERTS-ALS: a new drug testing platform from the UK MND Research Institute

21 June 202321 June 2023Eleanor GreenLeave a comment

Reading Time: 6 minutes MND is a very complex disease, and in the UK there is still only one approved treatment so the need for more effective treatments remains at the forefront of MND research. There have been over 140 clinical trials for MND over the last several decades and the majority of these have, unfortunately, not led to…

One hundred not out: keeping up the momentum of MND Research

9 March 20239 March 2023Eleanor GreenLeave a comment

Reading Time: 5 minutes Research into MND has increased over recent years and we now have a greater understanding of what is happening within the body during the disease. Only by understanding what is happening within the cells during the disease, will researchers discover the right targets to hit in the development of potential treatments. There is still a…

Do levels of lipids in the body contribute to ALS?

23 February 20232 August 2024Research Information TeamLeave a comment

Reading Time: 4 minutes A recent paper published in Brain Communications has identified several lipid (fat-like) molecules that are elevated in MND, specifically amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) which is the most common form of MND. The study measured the levels of lipids in the blood of people living with ALS and how their lipid levels changed with time during…

Improving clinical endpoints to help improve MND clinical trial outcomes

21 December 202221 December 2022Mandy SpencerLeave a comment

Reading Time: 5 minutes What is a clinical endpoint?

A clinical endpoint is used to determine if the drug that is being tested in a clinical trial is beneficial to the people it is intended to treat – those effects that directly measure how a participant in the trial feels, functions or survives.

To determine a clinical endpoint, it is important to understand how a person with a disease feels and functions, and this is well understood in MND. So, a drug that improves any of these could be seen to be beneficial.