With a 2-year, $90,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation, Dr.’s Matthew Disney and Wang-Yong Yang worked to correct the underlying problem in Fragile X: the silencing of the Fragile X gene (FMR1) and the resulting lack of FMRP (Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein). Their approach was to use novel small molecules to target the abnormal CGG repeats before the FMR1 gene.
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Matrix Metalloproteinase Therapeutic Treatments for Fragile X Syndrome
With a $157,000 grant from the FRAXA Research Foundation in 2012-2013, Dr. Kendal Broadie and Dr. Cheryl Gatto worked to define the distinct but also overlapping roles for MMP-1 and MMP-2 in synaptic structural and functional development. In drug studies with Fragile X fruit flies, they will be testing a range of MMPIs in drug treatments to compare effectiveness during development and at maturity, in order to define the contributions of FXS developmental impairments and adult recovery/plasticity.
Read moreRole of MicroRNAs in Fragile X Syndrome
With a $70,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2004-2005, Drs. Thomas Tuschl and Neil Renwick and their team at Rockefeller University researched how FMRP interacts with miRNA in order to determine more effective treatment targets for Fragile X syndrome.
Read moreFragile X Syndrome and RNAi
With a $75,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2003-2004, Dr. Richard Carthew and his team at Northwestern University studied their interest in gene expression by investigating the role of the recently discovered process of interfering RNA (RNAi). FMRP appears to be involved in the metabolism of RNAi, and may have a role in regulating the process; likewise, deficits in RNAi may contribute to the disease process in Fragile X.
Read moreFruit Fly Helps Reveal the Secrets of Fragile X
With a $50,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2003-2004, Dr. Bassem Hassan and his team at Flanders University researched how Fragile X fruit flies can help further future studies for Fragile X treatment research.
Read moreUnderstanding the Function of Fragile X Protein in Drosophila
With a $105,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2000-2003, Drs. Haruhiko Siomi and Mikko Siomi at Tokushima University researched approaches to characterize the Drosophila homolog of FMR1 and its associated molecules, and to identify molecular pathways that are involved in the cellular processes which are affected by the loss-of-function of Drosophila FMR1.
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