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Fighting Back Podcast #19 - 2009 State of the Disease for SMA (Part 2)

icon for podpress  FB 19 [18:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is part 2 of our 2009 State of the Disease Podcast for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, where we look back at the scientific advances in SMA research in 2008 and look forward to what might come in 2009.  This two-part series features the co-chairs of Fight SMA’s scientific committee, Alex MacKenzie, M.D. (Director of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute) and Chris Lorson, Ph. D. (Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia).

In part one Alex and Chris discussed three of the research advances they picked as being the most significant in 2008.  In this episode, they  finish that discussion by highlighting the following 2008 findings:

  • Exercise promotes motor unit development and survival in mild SMA mice
  • A variety of RNA-based therapeutics that are moving in vivo
  • SMA Standards of Care

We also tackle the future … what might come in 2009 in spinal muscular atrophy research.

If you haven’t listened to part one of this two-parter, it’s strongly suggested you visit this post, and listen there first!

To listen to this episode, you can use the Flash mp3 player above, load the Fighting Back Podcast Feed into your favorite feed reader, subscribe via iTunes or other podcast directories, or simply use the download link above to load the file onto your computer.  If you have feedback, a comment or question, or are interested in having Fighting Back tell your story, please contact page! You can also leave a message in the form of a comment on this blog as well.

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Fighting Back Podcast #18 - 2009 State of the Disease for SMA (Part 1)

icon for podpress  FB 18 [14:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

2008 was an important year in spinal muscular atrophy research, as scientists and doctors continued their work to find a treatment or cure for the neuromuscular disease.  This episode of Fighting Back Podcast is the first part of our yearly “look back and look forward”.  This time we look back at 2008 and look forward to 2009 with the co-chairs of Fight SMA’s scientific committee, Alex MacKenzie, M.D. (Director of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute) and Chris Lorson, Ph. D. (Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia).

Before the podcast recording session, Dr. MacKenzie and Dr. Lorson forwarded their lists of what they believe to be the most important scientific findings in SMA research in 2008.  In this episode, we have a spirited discussion of the first three items on the list, including what they are and why they’re important.  The advances discussed in this episode are:

  • A non-SMN modifier of disease: Plastin-3 (B. Wirth)
  • Muscle vs nerve SMN rescue in SMA mice (A. Burghes)
  • Nutritional supplement w/ TSA significantly increases SMA mouse survival (C. Sumner)

(Note: We are efforting links for each of these. Please check back!)

In part 2 of our State of the Disease Podcast for SMA, which will be released next week, we discuss the remaining items on the list, including the role of exercise promoting motor unit survival and the groundbreaking SMA Standards of Care that were released in 2008.  Drs. Mackenzie and Lorson also discuss the important findings they they hope will happen in 2009.

To listen to this episode, you can use the Flash mp3 player above, load the Fighting Back Podcast Feed into your favorite feed reader, subscribe via iTunes or other podcast directories, or simply use the download link above to load the file onto your computer.  If you have feedback, a comment or question, or are interested in having Fighting Back tell your story, please contact page! You can also leave a message in the form of a comment on this blog as well.

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