Harvard University Archives • Fragile X Research

Reactivating the FMR1 Gene to Reverse Fragile X Syndrome

FRAXA Research Foundation 2019 Grants • Current Research Grants • Genetic Rescue • Harvard University • Lee, Hungoo • Lee, Jeannie • Massachusetts General Hospital • Treatment Targets July 11, 2019August 5, 2019iPS, Pierce Family Fragile X Foundation

$90,000 FRAXA Research Grant for 2019 With support from The Pierce Family Fragile X Foundation FRAXA has awarded $90,000 to Dr. Jeannie Lee and Dr. Hungoo Lee at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. This team is targeting the root cause of Fragile X syndrome: a silenced single gene, called FMR1. With a previous $180,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation and The Pierce Family Fragile X Foundation from 2016-2018, the team ran a series of studies aimed at reactivating FMR1. They found a method using combinations of drugs which spur the gene to produce its normal protein product. Using drug "cocktails" they are able to reactivate FMR1 in cells in their lab! Dr. Lee explains in this video. Jeannie Lee, MD, PhD Principal Investigator Hungoo Lee, PhD FRAXA Postdoctoral Fellow Total Funding to This Lab to Date: $270,000 Harvard University Medical School Massachusetts General Hospital by Jeannie Lee, MD, PhDRead more

Investigating Gene Reactivation to Treat Fragile X Syndrome

FRAXA Research Foundation 2016 Grants • 2017 Grants • 2018 Grants • Genetic Rescue • Harvard University • Lee, Jeannie • Massachusetts General Hospital • Research Grant with Results September 22, 2017March 27, 2019CRISPR, Pierce Family Fragile X Foundation

With a $180,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2016-2017, Dr. Jeannie Lee and her team at Harvard are working to reactivate the gene that is silenced in Fragile X syndrome.

Neural Markers of Fragile X: A Powerful New Tool for Clinical Trials

J. Dora Levin Biomarkers • Boston Children's Hospital • Clinical • Harvard University • Nelson, Charles A. • Research Updates • Wilkinson, Carol August 17, 2017June 20, 2019Autifony Therapeutics, autism, EEG, hypersensitivity, ion channel, Pierce Family Fragile X Foundation, sleep, sound

Once the neural marker is identified for a particular challenge, such as kids with poor language versus good language, neural markers can be measured during drug and behavioral therapy trials to see if a child is improving based on objective biological measures.

The X Factor – Turning on X Chromosome Genes to Treat X-linked Disorders

Theodore Coutilish Genetic Rescue • Harvard University • Lee, Jeannie • Research Updates May 9, 2016July 26, 2018epigenetics, Rett syndrome

Harvard researcher Jeannie T. Lee, MD, PhD, moves closer to turning on select genes on the X chromosome to treat people with X-linked disorders

Small Molecule Modulators of Lithium for Treatment of Fragile X Syndrome

FRAXA Research Foundation 2006-2010 Grants • Completed Research Grant • Haggarty, Stephen • Harvard University • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) • Reis, Surya • Treatment Targets February 1, 2010August 9, 2018autism, GSK3, iPS, lithium

With a $219,500 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation, Dr. Stephen Haggarty from Havard/MIT developed a high-throughput drug screen to find compounds that inhibit GSK3, a critical enzyme in Fragile X. He looked for compounds that can accomplish this either alone or in combination with lithium, offering the possibility of enhancing the effectiveness of lithium as a treatment. His drug screen used patient-specific neural progenitor (NP) cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) – which are created from cells in a skin biopsy from people with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and other autism spectrum disorders.