Some C9orf72 carriers get ALS, others get FTD. No one knows why. This project uses one of the most powerful imaging facilities in the world — the European Synchrotron in Grenoble, France — to look inside donated brain and spinal cord tissue from carriers who had each disease. We are mapping where toxic proteins build up, how they differ between ALS and FTD, and what that tells us about why the diseases diverge. If we can answer that question, we can start designing prevention strategies tailored to each outcome.
Partners:
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF)
- UC Louvain
- University of Porto
- University of Bordeaux
- Utrecht University
- University of Aberdeen
- Target ALS
What this project needs:
- Funding.
- Donated brain and spinal cord tissue from C9orf72 carriers (both ALS and FTD).
- Scientists with imaging or brain pathology expertise.
- Computing power and data storage — these images are massive.