Uploaded April 2017 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
A team of MRC scientists who a few years ago identified a major pathway that leads to brain cell death in mice, have now found two drugs which block the pathway and prevent neurodegeneration.
The drugs caused minimal side effects in the mice and one is already licensed for use in humans, so is ready for #clinicaltrials.
Prion #diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are a group of progressive, fatal neurodegenerative conditions affecting mammals. They can be acquired through #infection, arise spontaneously or be inherited.
Prions, unlike other infectious agents or germs, appear to lack their own genes and consist of aggregated misshapen forms of one of the body’s own proteins, the prion protein or PrP. Despite lacking genes, prions can exist as distinct strains with quite different properties. These unique features have wide implications in biology and evolution, and prions and prion diseases are of intense international research interest.
Learn more ▶️ukri.org/about-us/mrc
Let’s connect!
Twitter 🔗 twitter.com/The_MRC
LinkedIn 🔗 linkedin.com/company/medical-research-council
YouTube 🔗 youtube.com/c/medicalresearchcouncil
Instagram 🔗 instagram.com/weareukri
We think you’ll like…
The MRC Centre for Macaques | Enrichment Activities
▶️ youtube.com/watch?v=S_VxV6uC8K4
How Genes Affects Worm Behaviour | Five Weird Worms from Worm Watch Lab
▶️ youtube.com/watch?v=rCwvV7sH4Ls
ABOUT THE MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (MRC)
The Medical Research Council (MRC) improves the health of people in the UK – and around the world – by supporting excellent science, and training the very best scientists.
Find out more ▶️ ukri.org/councils/MRC
#MRC #Medicine #MedicalSciences #MedicalResearch #Innovation #Health
A team of MRC scientists who a few years ago identified a major pathway that leads to brain cell death in mice, have now found two drugs which block the pathway and prevent neurodegeneration.
The drugs caused minimal side effects in the mice and one is already licensed for use in humans, so is ready for #clinicaltrials.
Prion #diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are a group of progressive, fatal neurodegenerative conditions affecting mammals. They can be acquired through #infection, arise spontaneously or be inherited.
Prions, unlike other infectious agents or germs, appear to lack their own genes and consist of aggregated misshapen forms of one of the body’s own proteins, the prion protein or PrP. Despite lacking genes, prions can exist as distinct strains with quite different properties. These unique features have wide implications in biology and evolution, and prions and prion diseases are of intense international research interest.
Learn more ▶️ukri.org/about-us/mrc
Let’s connect!
Twitter 🔗 twitter.com/The_MRC
LinkedIn 🔗 linkedin.com/company/medical-research-council
YouTube 🔗 youtube.com/c/medicalresearchcouncil
Instagram 🔗 instagram.com/weareukri
We think you’ll like…
The MRC Centre for Macaques | Enrichment Activities
▶️ youtube.com/watch?v=S_VxV6uC8K4
How Genes Affects Worm Behaviour | Five Weird Worms from Worm Watch Lab
▶️ youtube.com/watch?v=rCwvV7sH4Ls
ABOUT THE MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (MRC)
The Medical Research Council (MRC) improves the health of people in the UK – and around the world – by supporting excellent science, and training the very best scientists.
Find out more ▶️ ukri.org/councils/MRC
#MRC #Medicine #MedicalSciences #MedicalResearch #Innovation #Health
