24th of April marked the opening of the 12th CHDI conference in Malta. 27th marked the end. What have we learned? HDBuzz has made a day-by-day summary of the conference. You can find it below or go to their website.
The aim of the CHDI conference was to learn and discuss where to go from the place we are now to the goal destination: a treatment for Huntington’s disease (HD). So, have we made it to our goal? We are not there yet, but we are definitely not on status quo. Through discussions between 350 scientists, people from the pharmaceutical industry and patients advocates, we have managed to move ahead – towards our goal. For instance:
Postpone the onset of HD? During the first day, Leslie Jones from Cardiff University, talked about her research on why people with Huntington’s disease differ in their onset of symptoms. This variation is rooted in genetics, where different genes modify the onset of HD. This knowledge is essential in moving towards the possibility to postpone the onset of the disease.
HD gene out of play? On day two, Nicole Deglon talked about her research on gene editing and the lowering of huntingtin – the protein that causes Huntington’s disease. Deglon have efficiently performed this editing in the brains of HD mice. In simple words, “DNA-scissors” are implemented in the HD mice. These “scissors” further “cuts” the DNA – which puts the HD gene out of play. This stops the development of the disease. CHDI is also doing research on huntingtin lowering – with a slightly different approach.
Reconstructing damaged areas of the brain? On day three, Abdel Benraiss talked about his work on brain “stem cells” which have the ability to produce new brain cells. In HD mice, Benraiss has been able to generate new brain cells in the most damaged part of the brain. This means that damaged areas are reconstructed and become “healthy” again.
These were just a few examples on the research that was presented during the conference. Read more about the progression in HD research and which treatment that’s being tested. Find summaries here:
DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3
On the conference, the European Huntington Association was represented by President Astri Arnesen and board member Svein Olaf Olsen. They have had a lot of interesting meetings, learned a lot and last but not least: made many new friends. “We look towards our goal with renewed optimism,” says Olsen.