Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), perhaps more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a devastating neurological disease that ultimately leads to death. This disease eats away at nerve cells, causing death to the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in the loss of muscle function and eventual paralysis and respiratory failure.
Currently, there are no cures or even any successful methods that slow this disease’s progression. According to a study out of Brooklyn College, however, epigenetics may help point future research in the right direction towards practical diagnostic tools and potential treatments.
Oxford Biodynamics PLC (LON:OBD) was spun out from Oxford University in June 2007 with the aim of translating fundamental scientific advances into a commercialised platform technology and a new generation of biomarkers for cancer and other diseases. OBD has been granted a substantial funding award from Innovate UK to develop and validate diagnostic, prognostic and predictive EpiSwitch™ biomarkers for ALS.