Overview
Determining the temporal, spatial and molecular signature of hypoxia in SMA
- Principal investigator(s):
- Professor Simon Parson
- Institution:
- University of Aberdeen - UK
- Grant:
- €109,293
- Grant Type:
- Operating Grant
- Start Year:
- 2016
- Duration:
- 2 years
- Call number:
- 8
- Status:
- Ended
Professor Simon Parson
Professor Simon Parson, who heads up a lab at Aberdeen University, was granted an SMA Europe award to see if a decreased oxygen supply to the motor nerves have severe, negative consequences on these nerves and other important body systems.
In Focus
The role of hypoxia in SMA
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) results in motor nerve loss and muscle wasting, with current therapies aiming to restore movement and control to affected children, in the hope of providing a healthy life.
Professor Parson and his team have shown that insufficient blood vessels grow into essential organs in animal models and SMA patients and that this results in decreased oxygen supply to motor nerves.
This project will use clinical imaging and modern structural and molecular techniques to measure this decreased oxygen supply and to determine what goes wrong in cells and organs in SMA. In other words, to determine the effects of hypoxia in SMA.
What are the researhers aiming to do?
Q. Will a decreased oxygen supply to the motor nerves have severe, negative consequences on these nerves and other important body systems?
How will the researchers do this?
A. Professor Parson and his team will look at answering this question by using clinical imaging and modern structural and molecular techniques to measure this decreased oxygen supply and to determine what goes wrong in cells and organs in SMA.