The hallmark of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), an inherited disease caused by ubiquitous deficiency in the SMN protein, is the selective degeneration of subsets of spinal motor neurons.
In a new study published in Neuron, Professors Chaolin Zhang and Hynek Wichterle determined that loss of Rbfox genes results in an “embryonic like” splicing program.
The discovery of key mediators of neurodegenerative phenotypes, especially prior to neurons becoming committed to die, has proven both complex and inefficient.
The ALS Association Program at Columbia University has successfully achieved certification as a Certified Treatment Center of Excellence (CTCE) through The ALS Association.
A new study led by Chaolin Zhang, PhD, assistant professor of systems biology, published today as the cover story of Molecular Cell, sheds light on a critical RNA-binding protein.
The RNA-binding protein FUS participates in several RNA biosynthetic processes and has been linked to the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia.
Behavioral deficits in neurodegenerative diseases are often attributed to the selective dysfunction of vulnerable neurons via cell-autonomous mechanisms.