Innovation Anthology #429:

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A bit of gene sleuthing has led to a new discovery about multiple sclerosis.

University of Alberta neurologist Dr. Chris Power and his team were looking for genes that regulate other genes.

They found one in particular is involved in both how brain cells communicate as well as inflammation and the immune system.

DR CHRIS POWER: This is another dimension of the disease process in MS. There’s a deficient neurosteroids. It doesn’t give us a direct insight into the cause because identifying causes in diseases is often very challenging, but it certainly tells us that neurosteroids are altered or disrupted in MS. That perhaps almost as importantly gives us a potential therapeutic angle Because what we did in our study is we showed that one neurosteroid was particularly deficient in patients with MS. And when we took that neurosteroid called Allopregnanolone and treated cell cultures, it was protected, it reversed the damage that we see in MS. We also gave it to mice with an MS-like disease and it improved outcomes in those mice.

The discovery gives Dr. Power and his group some hope that replenishing the neurosteroid pool in the brain might offer a new treatment for multiple sclerosis

Thanks today to Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY
I’M CHERYL CROUCHER

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Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

Alberta Innovates (formerly Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions)

As the newly formed Alberta Innovates corporation, we still fund top quality, internationally competitive health research and innovation activities to improve the health and wellbeing of Albertans. We provide leadership for Alberta’s health research and innovation enterprise by directing, coordinating, reviewing, funding and supporting research and innovation.

Working with our many partners  in the health system, we ensure that research achieves innovation in care, policy and practice, and that the needs of patients and clinicians influence research.

Our background

Alberta Innovates consolidation was launched November 1, 2016.

Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions

Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions was established as part of the Alberta Innovates system by an Act of Legislation of the Government of Alberta. It is a agency  of the Government of Alberta. We receive a yearly allocation from the Ministry of Health and report through the ministry to the people of Alberta.

Our Mandate and Roles document reflects our role and responsibilities and outlines the government statues and regulations with which we comply.

Alberta’s Health Research and Innovation Strategy (AHRIS) sets out Alberta’s health research agenda for the coming decade to ensure our considerable investments in research align with our priority—to improve the health of Albertans.

 

 

Program Date: 2011-10-11