Donation for Motor Neurone Centre
The University is to set up a centre of excellence that will carry out research into motor neurone disease (MND).The Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research will focus on developing more effective treatment for patients and will form part of a worldwide effort towards finding a cure for the disease.
It will build on an already strong research-base into motor neurone biology at the University and benefit from a wide-range of expertise in regenerative medicine and stem cell research, neuroscience, molecular medicine and genetics.
Founding the centre has been possible following a substantial donation to the University by Donald MacDonald, a leading Scottish businessman, and his son Euan MacDonald, 32, who was diagnosed with MND in the early autumn of 2003.
Euan MacDonald said:
“Motor neurone disease affects around one in 20,000 people, yet while in a small minority of cases the disease seems to be inherited, scientists are not sure what causes people to acquire the condition.
“A centre to study motor neurone disease will extend the research already carried out at the University, providing a hub of experts working together across a range of disciplines and collaborating internationally on research.”
Both Euan MacDonald and his father Donald, co-founder and vice-chairman of the City Inn hotel chain, are University of Edinburgh law graduates.
They have already played a very active role in raising funds and awareness of MND, and it is hoped their donation will be a catalyst for attracting other support to further the work of the new centre.
Donald MacDonald said: “The new centre will enable scientists and clinicians to look at ways in which to improve the treatment available, with research to understand the fundamental mechanisms of motor neurones and how to prevent them from deteriorating, leading the way to improving patient care.”
The centre, which will be seeking to appoint a senior clinical fellow to coordinate its clinical and basic research, will be based next to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where the University has a strong research presence.
It will run alongside the University's Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine, which will benefit from a facility to develop stem cell lines and has stem-cell researchers already working towards medical therapies for illnesses including motor neurone disease, cancer, Parkinson's, liver disease and diabetes.
The funding was welcomed by Prof Richard Ribchester, convener of the Edinburgh Motor Neurone Disease Research Group at the University. He said:
"The investment will enable us to look at key areas such as the biological processes that trigger motor neurone disease, how it spreads through the body and why age is a risk factor. The aim is to gain greater understanding of the disease and to transfer the knowledge we gain into development of new preventative medicines or techniques."
