Research Section
The Euan MacDonald Centre aims to investigate the causes of MND and potential treatments, including stem cell-based therapies.
Click on a key word to be linked to the associated researchers (Point your mouse to the centre of the cloud to slow down the speed of rotation)Interdisciplinary Approach
Because many different neurodegenerative diseases (such as Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis) may share common mechanisms with MND, and an integrated approach to research is often the most productive, our research programme is broad, multidisciplinary and collaborative. We share close links with other research Centres and Institutes within Edinburgh and beyond.
Our Research Aims are:
• Improving knowledge and understanding of motor neurone development, differentiation, function, plasticity and degeneration;
• Developing and implementing neuroprotective and regenerative treatments for MND, including the use of stem cells;
• Using or creating new computational and hardware technologies that will improve the day-to-day quality of life of MND patients.
Featured Researcher
I am interested in all aspects of the biology of neuromuscular junctions (NMJ's). These are the connections made by motor neurones with muscles. Very early signs of MND can be observed at these tiny, cellular 'spot welds' that join nerve fibres (axons) to muscles. We are presently developing a 'live-imaging' technique, using slender optical-fibre probes to observe directly when disease has triggered the breakdown of NMJ's. The results so far are encouraging but there are many technical hurdles still to overcome. Eventually, this method might be used to measure the effectiveness of new treatments for MND that prevent the degeneration of NMJ's.