TGen finds new clue to ALS
"Our findings indicate these genes produce a sort of molecular glue that attaches motor neurons to muscle," said Dietrich Stephan, director of neurogenomics at TGen and the study's principal investigator. "It appears that in ALS the nerve is able to peel off the muscle, and when that happens repeatedly, the nerves die."
Using technology by Santa Clara, Calif.-based Affymetrix Inc., TGen researchers identified the differences by screening DNA samples from people with and without sporadic ALS. The Affymetrix (NASDAQ:AFFX) technology identified the genetic differences between the affected and unaffected groups and rapidly produced a genetic map of each individual within nine months, which had been unheard of in the past.
"Just a couple of years ago, this experiment would not have been possible because there simply wasn't a technology that enabled scientists to sift through the 3 billion molecules in the genome to find the genetic abnormalities that cause disease," said Sean George, vice president of the academic business unit at Affymetrix. He said the Affymetrix 500K Arrays use the same kind of semiconductor technology that powers supercomputers.
The project was funded by a $652,000 grant from MDA's Augie's Quest, a fast-track ALS research program, in collaboration with TGen. Blood donated for the study came from several MDA/ALS centers throughout the nation, as well as other sites across the United States.
For more information visit: www.mda.org
Using technology by Santa Clara, Calif.-based Affymetrix Inc., TGen researchers identified the differences by screening DNA samples from people with and without sporadic ALS. The Affymetrix (NASDAQ:AFFX) technology identified the genetic differences between the affected and unaffected groups and rapidly produced a genetic map of each individual within nine months, which had been unheard of in the past.
"Just a couple of years ago, this experiment would not have been possible because there simply wasn't a technology that enabled scientists to sift through the 3 billion molecules in the genome to find the genetic abnormalities that cause disease," said Sean George, vice president of the academic business unit at Affymetrix. He said the Affymetrix 500K Arrays use the same kind of semiconductor technology that powers supercomputers.
The project was funded by a $652,000 grant from MDA's Augie's Quest, a fast-track ALS research program, in collaboration with TGen. Blood donated for the study came from several MDA/ALS centers throughout the nation, as well as other sites across the United States.
For more information visit: www.mda.org
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