Podcast

Seeking a treatment for ALS

PhD student Sheena Gurm looks deep into brain cells for clues to a deadly disease
Institution(s)
The University of Winnipeg
University of Manitoba
Province(s)
Manitoba
Topic(s)
Virology
Genetics
PhD student Sheena Gurm stands surrounded by line drawings depicting strands of DNA

When viruses infected our ancestors millions of years ago, they left behind strands of their DNA embedded in human brain cells. At the University of Manitoba, Sheena Gurm studies these viral sequences, as part of a research team seeking to understand the causes of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Her research may lead to new treatments, such as the use of antiretroviral drugs, to combat this debilitating and ultimately deadly affliction.

With thanks to CKUW 95.9 FM Winnipeg for their assistance in producing this podcast.

Related Stories

Portrait of Nafissa Ismail professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa.
podcast
Ontario

How neuroendocrinology crosses sectors to create promising new insights

Nafissa Ismail focuses on the effects of hormones on the brain to pin down the interactions between our organs and our emotions
A stylized line drawing of a woman's torso with one breast highlighted by a coloured circle.
article
Manitoba

Ushering in a new era of breast cancer screening

The discovery of tumour biomarkers paves the way for earlier disease detection through a simple blood test
podcast
Quebec

How using sound to treat disease is music to one researcher’s ears

Simone Dalla Bella of Montréal’s International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research asks “How can music help us in our daily tasks? And how can it slow down the deleterious effects of diseases such as Parkinson’s?”