Fruit Fly Helps Reveal the Secrets of Fragile X
With a $50,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2003-2004, Dr. Bassem Hassan and his team at Flanders University researched how Fragile X fruit flies can help further future studies for Fragile X treatment research.
Role of Experience in Regulating Levels of the Fragile X Protein
FRAXA awarded $29,000 in 2001 and $20,000 in 2000 to Kenneth J. Mack, MD, PhD — Mayo Clinic with Peter K. Todd, MD, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow. While a professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Mack investigated whether and how FMRP levels are regulated in response to neuronal stimulation in vivo (in live animals). He looked at the effects of seizures and of experience in his experiments. Dr. Mack and colleagues published their findings.
FMR1 Gene Delivery Using Herpes Simplex Virus Vectors
With $89,000 from FRAXA Research Foundation over 2001-2005, Dr. David Bloom investigated gene therapy for Fragile X. The Bloom lab specializes in the development of gene therapy techniques, and they have succeeded in transferring the Fragile X gene (fmr1) into the brains of live mice, using viral vectors. They studied ways to enhance this process, with the ultimate goal of gene therapy for people with Fragile X.
Dendritic Spine Formation and Fragile X
With a $35,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation in 2003, Dr. Jay Brenman and his team at the University of North Carolina utilized the fruit fly (Drosophila) to model disease and examined the fly model of Fragile X in an effort to understand the basic mechanisms of disease.
DFXR and Synaptic Tagging in Drosophila (Fruit Flies)
With a $135,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2001-2003, Dr. Jerry Yin and his team at the University of Wisconsin researched memory formation in Fragile X fruit flies. Dr. Yin started his Fragile X studies at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory before moving to the Waisman Center.
Understanding the Function of Fragile X Protein in Drosophila
With a $105,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2000-2003, Drs. Haruhiko Siomi and Mikko Siomi at Tokushima University researched approaches to characterize the Drosophila homolog of FMR1 and its associated molecules, and to identify molecular pathways that are involved in the cellular processes which are affected by the loss-of-function of Drosophila FMR1.
FMR1 Repression and the Signals to Chromatin
With a $70,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2001-2003, Dr. Assam El-Osta and his team at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute studied mechanisms of methylation dependent silencing of FMR1, as well as regulation by histone acetylation/deacetylation.
Molecular Basis of Increased Seizure Severity in the Fragile X Knockout Mouse
With a $50,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2002-2003, Dr. Carl Dobkin and his team at the New York Institute for Basic Research studied the causes for heightened seizure activity in Fragile X mice. Results published.
Isolating and Characterizing the mRNAs That Bind FMRP
With $60,000 in grants from FRAXA Research Foundation from 1998-1999, Dr. Robert Denman and his team at the New York State Institute for Basic Research explored how FMRP possibly functions.
Treatment of a Mouse Model of Fragile X Syndrome with MPEP
With a $49,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation in 2003, Dr. Linda Crnic at the University of Colorado continued studies of MPEP in Fragile X mice, exploring whether chronic use improves symptoms of Fragile X syndrome without impairing cognitive function.
Structure of FMRP
With a $68,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2001-2002, Dr. Lynne Regan at Yale University studied different protein shapes and how they contributed towards different functions for Fragile X syndrome. Results published.
Prospects For Gene Therapy in the Fragile X
With a $90,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2000-2002, Dr. Mario Rattazzi at the New York State Institute for Basic Research explored gene therapy: ways to transfer the FMR1 gene across the blood-brain-barrier in normal rats and mice, and then in FMR1 knockout mice. Results published.
A Genetic Screen For Dominant Modifiers of Drosophila (Fruitfly) FMR
With a $35,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation in 2002, Dr. Kevin Moses and his team at Emory University studied fruit fly eye phenotypes to screen for genes that function in the Fragile X pathway.
Studies of glutamate receptor trafficking
FRAXA awarded $35,000 in 2001 to Robert Malinow, PhD, Principal Investigator and Julius Zhu, PhD, FRAXA Postdoctoral Fellow at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. While he was a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Malinow’s lab, Dr. Julius Zhu carried out experiments designed to define the set of proteins which are affected in Fragile X syndrome and understand how they function together. In 2002, Dr. Zhu started his own lab at the University of Virginia where he is continuing his Fragile X work with new funding from FRAXA.
Prepulse Inhibition in Fragile X
With a $27,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation in 1999, Dr. Alcino Silva and his team examined prepulse inhibition in Fragile X mice and children with Fragile X.
Identification of Specific RNA Targets of FMRP
With a $70,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 1999-2001, Dr. Robert Darnell and his team at Rockefeller University made significant contributions towards understanding how FMRP functions and how the brain is affected without it. Results published.
Transgenic Mouse Model Studies of Fragile X Syndrome
With a $410,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 1999-2001, Dr. Eric Kandel and his team at Columbia University researched development of Fragile X mice to further aid future studies of Fragile X research.
Molecular Interactions Between FMRP and Protein Translation Apparatus
With a $65,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 2000-2001, Dr. Claudia Bagni focused on understanding the specific molecular interactions which regulate protein synthesis, and how they are altered in Fragile X. Dr. Bagni has moved from the University of Rome to VIB in Leuven, Belgium. Results published.
Transcriptional Regulation of the Fragile X Gene (fmr1) in the Olfactory Bulb
With a $35,000 in grant from FRAXA Research Foundation, Dr. Justin Fallon and his team at Brown University studied systematic mapping of Fragile X granules in developing mouse brains, revealing a potential role for presynaptic FMRP in sensorimotor functions.
Role of FMRP in Development and Maturation of Spine Synapses
With a $160,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 1999-2000, Drs. Menahem Segal at the Weizmann Institute and Katarina Braun at the Leibnitz Institute for Learning researched the development of Fragile X syndrome in a controlled, in vitro test system. Results published.
Neural Network Model of Working Memory in Fragile X Syndrome
With a $67,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation in 2000, Dr. Mina Johnson-Glenberg at the University of Wisconsin researched how long-term and working memory was affected in individuals with Fragile X syndrome.
Melatonin Clinical Trial in Fragile X
With a $60,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 1998-1999, Dr. Randi Hagerman and her team at the University of California studied the effects of different compounds on individuals with Fragile X syndrome, focusing specifically on melatonin. Results published.
FMR1 Gene Regulation
With a $30,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation in 1999, Dr. Paul Hagerman and his team at the University of California researched how to re-activate the FMR1 gene and how to measure its levels.
Longitudinal Study of Children with Fragile X
With a $30,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation in 2000, Dr. Don Bailey and his team at the University of North Carolina studied the longitudinal development of children, with a focus on educational strategies and development of language. They have contributed greatly to our understanding of the course of Fragile X over a lifetime, as well as the frequency of autism and other behavioral complications in the Fragile X population.
Transport of the Fragile X Protein
With a $123,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation from 1998-2000, Dr. Alan Tartakoff at the Case Western Reserve University studied how proteins communicate with the brain, how and when FMRP travels in the brain, and how to introduce more antibodies to Fragile X research.