MDA/ALS Newsmagazine Vol. 16, No. 4
July-August 2011
Cover Story
Karen Felzer studies earthquakes, not ALS.
But after her father learned he had the disease, Felzer helped conduct a study that caused a small shake-up in the world of ALS research.
Working with Humberto Macedo, a Brazilian computer analyst who also had ALS, Felzer initiated an online, patient- and...
Features
In 2009, it was discovered that genetic mutations in the fused in sarcoma gene — FUS for short — were linked to some cases of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease).
Left — FUS protein (green) is shown in yeast cells. Right — Aggregates of purified FUS protein resemble th...
How to prevent selective loss of neurons?
Benjamin BrooksCarolinas Medical CenterCharlotte, N.C
Brooks, director of the MDA/ALS Center at Carolinas Medical Center, and colleagues are interested in the normal and abnormal molecular interactions of FUS, as well as microRNA regulation of FUS...
Gib’s Odyssey: A Tale of Faith and Hope on the Intercoastal Waterway, Walter G. Bradley, 2011, 213 pages, Lyons Press; available through local and online booksellers ($22.95).Gib’s Odyssey tells of a single-handed journey from the Florida Keys up the Intercoastal Waterway to New York and back, compl...
Research Roundup
Eating and breathing: A possible 'synergistic' effect in ALS
Initial results of a multicenter pilot study to evaluate nutritional requirements and early intervention for breathing problems in ALS are helping scientists determine how physical factors such as body mass, diet and activity affect the...
