stem cells and MND Archives

Growing brain cells in 3D to study MND

5 October 20235 October 2023Research Information Team1 Comment

Reading Time: 5 minutes My current work focuses on looking at the cell types that are affected in MND and how they impact each other. Motor neurons, the main cell type affected in MND, connect our brains and muscles. This connection is what allows us to move. In MND, these cells start to die, which is what leads to progressive paralysis. But motor neurons aren’t the only cell types affected by MND. They are surrounded by many more cells called glia, which have roles in keeping our motor neurons healthy.

Global MND Awareness Day- Celebrating Collaboration

21 June 202221 June 2022Eleanor Green3 Comments

Reading Time: 5 minutes Each year, the 21st of June marks Global MND Awareness Day and MND Charites and Associations across the world acknowledge the impact that MND has on everyone who is affected by the disease. This year, we would like to recognise the dedication and commitment of the MND community who give their time and knowledge to…

Do retroviruses contribute to the common, sporadic form of MND?

1 October 2015Belinda Cupid1 Comment

Reading Time: 2 minutes New research from scientists at the American National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Bethesda suggest that they might. In a research paper published in Science Translational Medicine yesterday, Li, Nath and colleagues proposed that sporadic MND may be linked to an endogenous retrovirus called ‘HERV-K’. So they conducted a series of experiments to…

A taste of Brussels…

21 November 201419 April 2022Dr Samantha Price5 Comments

Reading Time: 3 minutes On 4 November, we welcomed two of our funded researchers to our offices in Northampton. Ruxandra Mutihac and Matt Gabel gave us a ‘taste’ of what’s to come for this year’s 25th International Symposium on ALS/MND, by speaking to us about their research. The symposium is the World’s largest MND-specific research conference and is now only two weeks away!

Neuralstem news

25 September 201419 April 2022Dr Samantha Price2 Comments

Reading Time: 4 minutes On 22 September 2014 Neuralstem announced the results from their long-term follow up of three participants who were involved in their initial phase I safety trial. Here’s what the news means and what may be next for Neuralstem’s stem cell treatment. What is Neuralstem? Neuralstem is the company behind an innovative neural stem cell treatment for…

AGM Question

17 September 201419 April 2022Research Information TeamLeave a comment

Reading Time: 5 minutes A question was submitted to the Association’s AGM last weekend, which could only be answered in brief at the time, due to the number of issues raised, some of which are of a technical nature. Below is a more detailed response from the Association’s Director of Research (in bold italics) to each point raised.

Very ‘ice’ research

22 August 201419 April 2022Dr Samantha PriceLeave a comment

Reading Time: 3 minutes The ALS #icebucketchallenge, which started in America, has now well and truly hit the UK! The social media craze has seen thousands of people getting involved in raising awareness of ‘ALS’( the most common form of MND), and funds for the Association, by placing a bucket of ice-cold water over their heads. But what happens…

A stem cell route to the roots of MND

18 June 201419 April 2022Research Information Team1 Comment

Reading Time: 7 minutes Nina Rzechorzek is based at the University of Edinburgh. In 2012 Nina’s article on Prof Siddharthan Chandran’s research was shortlisted for the Access to Understanding Competition. Here she gives an update on his stem cell research. It was a typical morning – trying to juggle experiments, trying not to make mistakes, trying hard to get…

From research to medical therapy – how research has moved on in the past 40 years

17 June 201419 April 2022Research Information TeamLeave a comment

Reading Time: 4 minutes Dr Ruth Standring-Cox BSc DPhil explains about her link with MND and her research experience, including how research has moved on in the past 40 years. After successfully negotiating the “paternoster lifts” in the old Biochemistry building at Oxford University I reached the MRC Immunochemistry Unit on the 4th floor. This was 1975 and the…

A research perspective on the MND Association spring conferences

4 June 201419 April 2022Research Information Team1 Comment

Reading Time: 2 minutes Following on from Peter Bickley, Dr Ruxandra Mutihac volunteered to present her research at the Newport Spring Conference earlier this year. Here she gives an insight in to her work at Oxford and her experience of the day. This April, I had the privilege of giving the research talk of the day at the MND spring…