Skip over navigation
l'Hôpital
Recherche
Soutenez-nous
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Accueil
English
Directions et cartes
Nous joindre
Au sujet de l’IRHO
Vision et orientations stratégiques
Message du PDG
L'équipe de direction
Rapports annuels
Installations
La gestion des données de recherche
Équité, diversité et inclusion
Notre recherche
Priorités, programmes et maladies
Profils de chercheurs
Réseaux de recherche nationaux
Publications scientifiques
Bourses et prix de recherche
Transfert de la technologie
Innovation responsable
Étudiants et stagiaires postdoctoraux
Nouvelles et activités
Nouvelles
Séminaires & Activités
Carrières
Pour les patients
News & Events
Accueil
>
Nouvelles et activités
>
Nouvelles
Bookmark or Share
Option d'affichage
Option d'affichage
+
Augmentez
/
-
Diminuez
taille de police
Contraste élevé
Imprimante facile
Nouvelles
Séminaires & Activités
Newsroom
New worm model sheds light on ALS
octobre 11, 2017
Dr.
Johnny Ngsee
’s team has created the first worm model of a genetic form of ALS called ALS8 that can be used to learn more about the disease and test possible therapies. ALS, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is caused by the gradual death of the nerves that control the muscles. There is no prevention or cure, and 80 percent of people with ALS die within two to five years of being diagnosed. Dr. Ngsee’s team created worms with a genetic mutation that mimics the disease. In these worms, the nerves that control backwards movement start dying during middle-age. Middle-age is when humans with the disease usually start experiencing symptoms. The team found that treating these worms with a chemical called PIK-93 significantly reduced nerve death and improved the worms’ ability to move backwards. However, the treatment had to be given before the nerves started dying, and had to be continued for the rest of the worm’s life. The team’s next step is to find out exactly what molecular pathway PIK-93 is hitting, and whether it could be made to work shortly after nerve death begins. The results of the study are published in
Scientific Reports
.
Authors:
Wendy Zhang, Antonio Colavita and Johnny Ngsee
Funding:
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care. See www.ohri.ca for more information about research at The Ottawa Hospital.
University of Ottawa: —A crossroads of cultures and ideas
The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities—our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. www.uottawa.ca
Media Contact
Amelia Buchanan
Senior Communication Specialist
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Office: 613-798-5555 x 73687
Cell: 613-297-8315
ambuchanan@ohri.ca
Tags:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis