fruit fly Archives

Metabolic and Mitochondrial Crosstalk in Insulin and cAMP Pathways in Fragile X Syndrome

August 28, 2025

Fragile X syndrome research explores insulin and cAMP pathway crosstalk, mapping brain metabolism to guide treatment strategies.

Screening 2,320 FDA-Approved Drugs for Potential Treatment of Fragile X

January 9, 2019

FRAXA funded a screen of 2,320 FDA-approved compounds in the Fragile X fly model to identify hits that improve memory and social behavior for advanced testing.

Fragile X researchers Sean McBride, Tom Jongens

Fragile X Fruit Fly Research Bears Fruit

April 26, 2016

A new FRAXA-funded study shows how the hormone insulin – usually associated with diabetes — is involved in the daily activity patterns and learning deficits in the fruit fly model of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). The study also reveal a metabolic pathway that can be targeted by new and already approved drugs to treat Fragile X patients, notably metformin.

Dr. Tom Jongens and Dr. Sean McBride study Fragile X Fruit Flies

Fruit Flies to Model and Test Fragile X Treatments

September 13, 2015

Boosting cAMP signaling restores memory and fixes brain-signaling defects in Fragile X models, suggesting diabetes drugs like metformin may help.

Matrix Metalloproteinase Therapeutic Treatments for Fragile X Syndrome

September 2, 2013

Dr. Broadie showed that MMP enzymes disrupt synapse development in Fragile X. MMP inhibitors (e.g. minocycline) improved connectivity and behavior in fruit flies.

Efficient Screening for Pharmaceutical Amelioration of FXS Behavioral Deficits in Drosophila

January 30, 2012

Using a fruit-fly Fragile X model, researchers screened many drugs quickly to find those that improve behavior, speeding up potential treatment testing.

Sean McBride, PhD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, FRAZA research grant

Developing Fragile X Treatments in Fruit Flies and Mice

February 26, 2009

FRAXA’s $380K grant supported Drs. McBride, Jongens, and Choi in validating Fragile X treatments in mice to prepare for trials. Findings published.

Thomas Dockendorff, PhD, of University of Tennessee, FRAXA research grant

Novel Functions of Drosophila FMRP

February 2, 2009

With a $120,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation over 2 years, Dr. Thomas Dockendorff from the University of Tennessee and his colleagues were pioneers in using the power of fly genetics to understand the different functions of the fly version of the Fragile X protein.

Basic Mechanisms of Disease and Potential Therapeutic Strategies

February 2, 2009

Dr. Stephen Warren’s FRAXA-funded research at Emory led to the Fragile X gene discovery and new breakthroughs using stem cells and model systems.

Ravi Allada, MD, at Northwestern University, FRAXA research grant

Sleep and Circadian Rhythms in Fragile X Mutant Drosophila

February 14, 2008

With an $80,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation over 2 years, Dr. Ravi Allada and his team studied at Northwestern University sleep behaviors in Fragile X fruit flies. These fruit flies are useful for several important reasons; not only do they have a good cognitive phenotype, they also have a clear disturbance of circadian rhythms. This is an important model for human hyperactivity and sleep disorders, and this group studied the underlying mechanisms in an effort to find treatments for the human conditions.

Molecular Basis of Fragile X Syndrome: Genetic Modeling in Zebrafish

February 6, 2008

With a $52,500 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation in 2008, Dr. Robert Richards and his team from the University of Adelaide studied zebrafish models and embryo development abnormalities to search for treatment targets.

Yong Zhang, PhD, at Chinese Academy of Sciences, FRAXA research grant

Defining Functional Domains of FMRP and Uncovering its Partners via Large Scale Mutagenesis in Drosophila

March 1, 2006

With $80K from FRAXA, Dr. Yong Zhang at the Chinese Academy of Sciences identified genes that suppress Fragile X and explored FMRP function.

Angela Giangrande, PhD, Universite Louis Pasteur, FRAXA research grant

Drosophila CYFIP, a Molecular Link Between Actin Cytoskeleton Remodeling and Fragile X

February 13, 2006

With $130K from FRAXA, Dr. Angela Giangrande at Université Louis Pasteur studied dendrite, mRNA, and cytoskeleton interactions in fruit flies.

Fen-Biao Gao, PhD, at University of California at San Fransico, FRAXA research award

Genetic and Behavioral Analyses of the dFMR1 Pathway in Drosophila Peripheral Nervous System

February 13, 2006

FRAXA’s $160K grant supported Dr. Fen-Biao Gao’s UC team in exploring the connection between mRNA and FMRP.

Catherine Choi, Drexel University, FRAXA research grant

Pharmacologic Interventions in the Fmr1 KO Mouse

February 13, 2006

With $48.6K from FRAXA, Dr. Catherine Choi at Drexel studied Fragile X knockout mice to identify potential treatment targets.

Fruit Fly Helps Reveal the Secrets of Fragile X

February 26, 2004

FRAXA’s $50K grant supported Dr. Bassem Hassan’s Flanders team in using fruit flies to model Fragile X and guide future therapy studies.

Jay Brenman, PhD, at University of North Carolina, FRAXA research grant

Dendritic Spine Formation and Fragile X

February 27, 2003

With $35K from FRAXA, Dr. Jay Brenman at UNC used fruit fly models to study Fragile X and uncover key disease mechanisms.

Jerry Yin, PhD, at University of Wisconsin, FRAXA research grant

DFXR and Synaptic Tagging in Drosophila (Fruit Flies)

February 27, 2003

FRAXA’s $135K grant supported Dr. Jerry Yin’s Fragile X fruit fly studies on memory formation at Wisconsin’s Waisman Center.

Haruhiko Siomi, PhD, at Tokushima University, FRAXA research grant

Understanding the Function of Fragile X Protein in Drosophila

February 26, 2003

FRAXA-funded Tokushima researchers mapped the Drosophila FMR1 gene and its pathways, revealing how Fragile X disrupts cell function.

Kevin Moses, PhD, Wellcome Trust, FRAXA scientific Advisor

A Genetic Screen For Dominant Modifiers of Drosophila (Fruitfly) FMR

February 27, 2002

A $35K FRAXA grant supported Dr. Kevin Moses at Emory in using fruit flies to screen for genes active in the Fragile X signaling pathway.

Metabolic and Mitochondrial Crosstalk in Insulin and cAMP Pathways in Fragile X Syndrome

Screening 2,320 FDA-Approved Drugs for Potential Treatment of Fragile X

Fragile X Fruit Fly Research Bears Fruit

Fruit Flies to Model and Test Fragile X Treatments

Matrix Metalloproteinase Therapeutic Treatments for Fragile X Syndrome

Efficient Screening for Pharmaceutical Amelioration of FXS Behavioral Deficits in Drosophila

Developing Fragile X Treatments in Fruit Flies and Mice

Novel Functions of Drosophila FMRP

Basic Mechanisms of Disease and Potential Therapeutic Strategies

Sleep and Circadian Rhythms in Fragile X Mutant Drosophila

Molecular Basis of Fragile X Syndrome: Genetic Modeling in Zebrafish

Defining Functional Domains of FMRP and Uncovering its Partners via Large Scale Mutagenesis in Drosophila

Drosophila CYFIP, a Molecular Link Between Actin Cytoskeleton Remodeling and Fragile X

Genetic and Behavioral Analyses of the dFMR1 Pathway in Drosophila Peripheral Nervous System

Pharmacologic Interventions in the Fmr1 KO Mouse

Fruit Fly Helps Reveal the Secrets of Fragile X

Dendritic Spine Formation and Fragile X

DFXR and Synaptic Tagging in Drosophila (Fruit Flies)

Understanding the Function of Fragile X Protein in Drosophila

A Genetic Screen For Dominant Modifiers of Drosophila (Fruitfly) FMR

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