Cutting-edge MND research at The Francis Crick Institute
Researchers at University College London and the Francis Crick Institute are using laboratory-grown motor neurons and other cells to study mechanisms involved in motor neurone disease (MND). Projects are examining supporting brain cells, protein-processing problems involving FUS and TDP-43, and the UNC13A gene. One team is testing small DNA-like molecules as a possible basis for a future gene therapy, but clinical testing has not yet begun.
Why this matters
This work may help researchers understand how nerve cells are damaged and identify potential treatment targets. It is laboratory research, so it does not currently change treatment for people living with MND.
Limitations and context
This is an organisational blog describing a selection of research projects funded by the MND Association, not a peer-reviewed report of new clinical results. The projects described are mainly laboratory investigations, and the proposed gene therapy remains at the stage of testing molecules before any potential clinical trial.