This rare and fatal progressive neurodegenerative disease is estimated to affect 5,000 people in the UK.
The Francis Crick Institute and Broken String Biosciences have announced a new partnership to advance research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
This partnership aims to advance our understanding of genomic instability in the development of neurodegenerative diseases.
ALS, which affects an estimated 5,000 people in the UK, is a rare and fatal neurological disease that causes progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
This disorder causes a gradual loss of the ability to control voluntary movements and basic bodily functions.
As part of the collaboration, this research project will develop new applications of Broken String’s proprietary DNA break mapping platform, INDUCE-seq, and leverage this technology to investigate the impact of genomic instability on the pathogenesis of ALS. The purpose is
INDUCE-seq is a scalable platform technology that reveals breaks caused by nuclease-based genome editing systems with high precision. It was created to address the unmet need for accurate and rapid measurement of off-targets induced by gene editing.
The platform provides data-driven, actionable insights to advance research and development and preclinical and clinical gene editing programs.
With support from Crick’s Business Engagement Fund, an initiative supported by the Medical Research Council, Crick researchers will work with genomics companies to demonstrate and further validate the platform in ALS.
Dr Simon Boulton, Principal Group Leader at Crick’s Boulton Institute, commented:
“We are excited to leverage the unique capabilities of the INDUCE-seq platform to… deepen our understanding of diseases driven by genomic instability, such as ALS.”
Felix Dobbs, Chief Executive Officer of Broken String, said: “There is an unmet clinical need for effective ALS treatments and early diagnostic strategies that can significantly improve patient outcomes.
“This collaboration…represents an exciting opportunity to apply our expertise to other important research areas to support advances in human health.”
