Reading Time: 6 minutes On the 8 September 2023, members of the Research Development team at the MND Association attended the 4th UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre International Symposium. Leading international researchers were invited to speak about key areas of MND research, with a focus on translational research. We listened to talks on early laboratory research and…
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…
Reading Time: 6 minutes QurAlis, a biotechnology company focused on developing precision medicines for MND and other neurodegenerative diseases, has announced the opening of a clinical trial in the UK. This trial of a gene therapy, called QRL-201, is a phase 1 trial in people with MND and will test the therapy to determine whether it is safe and…
Reading Time: 12 minutes Despite decades of research, we still do not fully understand why some people get MND, but studies in cell and animal models of the disease suggest that astrocytes and microglia cells are key players in the process, and a potential target for new therapies to moderate oxidative stress, reduce mitochondrial damage, and limit glutamate excitotoxicity…
Reading Time: 7 minutes Clinical trials are vital in the hunt for effective treatments of motor neurone disease. They provide the evidence needed to determine whether a drug is safe and effective. In trials, participants are randomly assigned to receive either the treatment or a dummy drug, also known as a placebo. While this group is crucially important in…
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…
Reading Time: 5 minutes The MND clinical trial landscape has grown vastly over the last decade and this has led to increased opportunities for people with MND to take part in research across the globe. Behind these trials, sit a large number of highly dedicated staff at each trial site who make sure the trial is set-up, recruiting and…
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…
Reading Time: 5 minutes The current pace of clinical trials means that there are now more trials testing potential drugs for MND in the UK than ever before. One of these trials is MND-SMART which is designed to run for several years and give more people with the disease a chance to take part in a trial. The MND…
Reading Time: 6 minutes MND is a complex disease, and the causes are still not fully understood. Researchers all around the world are working tirelessly on different theories to try to understand more about what causes MND and how to treat it. One theory is that MND is caused by the activation of ancient viruses which are hidden within…
