Muscular Dystrophy News and Research

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The muscular dystrophies (MD) are a group of more than 30 genetic diseases characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles that control movement. Some forms of MD are seen in infancy or childhood, while others may not appear until middle age or later. The disorders differ in terms of the distribution and extent of muscle weakness (some forms of MD also affect cardiac muscle), age of onset, rate of progression, and pattern of inheritance.

A goodwill ambassador of palliative care

Leanne Schoberl could have put anyone's picture on the home screen of her cell phone. "She loved American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. She envisioned marrying him one day," says Leanne's father John Schoberl.

14 Nov 2014

Murdoch University researchers receive NHMRC grant to develop genetic drugs for rare diseases

Murdoch University researchers from the Centre for Comparative Genomics have received almost $800,000 in funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council to develop genetic drugs to treat rare diseases.

6 Nov 2014

Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon explains how scoliosis affects Baby Boomers

For many adults, the word scoliosis conjures up childhood memories of lining up in gym class for an examination by the school nurse. But scoliosis isn't just a pediatric condition. Curvature of the spine can develop in adults too, and the osteoporosis that can accompany menopause is a risk factor.

29 Oct 2014

Royal Holloway-led researchers to develop novel spinal cord injury treatment

Dr Rafael Yáñez-Muñoz, from the School of Biological Sciences at Royal Holloway, University of London, is leading a team of researchers working to develop a novel treatment for spinal cord injury - which leaves sufferers with devastating, life-long effects including paralysis.

29 Oct 2014

State highlights: Calif. ballot measure updates; Va. prison health care budget shortfall

A selection of health policy stories from California, Arizona, Maine, South Dakota, Virginia, Maryland, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas, Washington state and Missouri.

21 Oct 2014

New genetic guideline to help physicians make right diagnosis for subtypes of muscular dystrophy

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) offer a new guideline on how to determine what genetic tests may best diagnose a person's subtype of limb-girdle or distal muscular dystrophy.

16 Oct 2014

LCSB scientists characterize new tumour suppressor gene

Scientists at the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine of the University of Luxembourg have published their findings that mutations in a gene known as "ARMC5" promote the growth of benign tumours in the adrenal glands and on the meninges: ARMC5 appears to belong to the group of so-called tumour suppressor genes.

14 Oct 2014

New guideline makes recommendations about treating, managing distal muscular dystrophy

A new guideline from the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine and the American Academy of Neurology recommends guidance on how doctors should evaluate the full picture—from symptoms, family history, and ethnicity, to a physical exam and certain lab test results—in order to determine what genetic tests may best diagnose a person's subtype of limb-girdle or distal muscular dystrophy.

14 Oct 2014

Isis Pharmaceuticals provides update on Phase 2 clinical studies of ISIS-SMN Rx in children with SMA

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today provided an update on its ongoing open-label Phase 2 clinical studies of ISIS-SMN Rx in infants and children with spinal muscular atrophy at the 19th International World Muscle Society (WMS) Congress in Berlin, Germany.

10 Oct 2014

Researchers develop potential fast-acting "vaccine" for myasthenia gravis

Nearly 60,000 Americans suffer from myasthenia gravis (MG), a non-inherited autoimmune form of muscle weakness. The disease has no cure, and the primary treatments are nonspecific immunosuppressants and inhibitors of the enzyme cholinesterase.

8 Oct 2014

MD-CARE Act Amendments become law

Capping a two-year advocacy campaign led by Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, today President Barack Obama signed the MD-CARE Act Amendments of 2014 into law, providing a significant victory to the Duchenne and broader muscular dystrophy communities.

27 Sep 2014

Research could help eventual treatment of degenerative muscle, brain diseases

Our genetic information is stored in DNA, tiny strands of nucleic acid that contain instructions for the functioning of our bodies. To express this genetic data, our DNA is copied into RNA molecules, which then translate the instructions into proteins that perform tasks in our cells.

19 Sep 2014

Researchers examine why stem cells lose their capacity to repair damage as age increases

As we age, stem cells throughout our bodies gradually lose their capacity to repair damage, even from normal wear and tear.

8 Sep 2014

Researchers develop novel technique to promote tissue repair in damaged muscles

Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) have developed a novel technique to promote tissue repair in damaged muscles.

8 Sep 2014

New approach to turn diseased cells into unique manufacturing sites for treating muscular dystrophy

In a new study that could ultimately lead to many new medicines, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have adapted a chemical approach to turn diseased cells into unique manufacturing sites for molecules that can treat a form of muscular dystrophy.

3 Sep 2014

Muscular Dystrophy News and Research

Further Reading

A goodwill ambassador of palliative care

Murdoch University researchers receive NHMRC grant to develop genetic drugs for rare diseases

Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon explains how scoliosis affects Baby Boomers

Royal Holloway-led researchers to develop novel spinal cord injury treatment

State highlights: Calif. ballot measure updates; Va. prison health care budget shortfall

New genetic guideline to help physicians make right diagnosis for subtypes of muscular dystrophy

LCSB scientists characterize new tumour suppressor gene

New guideline makes recommendations about treating, managing distal muscular dystrophy

Isis Pharmaceuticals provides update on Phase 2 clinical studies of ISIS-SMN Rx in children with SMA

Researchers develop potential fast-acting "vaccine" for myasthenia gravis

MD-CARE Act Amendments become law

Research could help eventual treatment of degenerative muscle, brain diseases

Researchers examine why stem cells lose their capacity to repair damage as age increases

Researchers develop novel technique to promote tissue repair in damaged muscles

New approach to turn diseased cells into unique manufacturing sites for treating muscular dystrophy

Minnesota researchers develop animal research model for FSHD

Research offers hope to patient suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Researchers restore missing repair protein in skeletal muscle of patients with muscular dystrophy

New gene therapy protects mice from life-threatening heart condition

Researchers use new gene editing method to correct mutation that leads to DMD

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