Lab discovery suggests possible new approach for treating progressive multiple sclerosis
July 26, 2024 - A new study from The Ottawa Hospital and uOttawa shows that a microRNA molecule called miR-145-5p could be key to developing new treatments for progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). |
Gene editing strategy shows promise in mice with spinal muscular atrophy
December 20, 2023 - Dr. Rashmi Kothary’s team played a key role in identifying a new gene-editing strategy that could someday be used to treat spinal muscular atrophy. |
Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital awarded 15 CIHR grants worth more than $8.4 million
February 3, 2023 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital are playing a lead role in 15 new projects awarded more than $8.4 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). |
Whole-body approach needed to treat neuromuscular disease SMA
July 13, 2022 - Treating a patient’s entire body, not just the nerves in their muscles, is essential for the complete treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), according to a study led by Aoife Reilly in Dr. Rashmi Kothary’s group. |
New mouse model could help with the development of treatments for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
May 29, 2021 - A surprising discovery spearheaded by MD/PhD student Dr. Marc-Olivier Deguise from Dr. Rashmi Kothary’s group could help with a better understanding of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition that affects nearly 1 billion people worldwide. |
New mouse model to reveal insights into mild spinal muscular atrophy
June 4, 2020 - Dr. Marc-Olivier Deguise from Dr. Rashmi Kothary’s team has developed a new mouse model of mild spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Until now, researchers only had good animal models of the most severe forms of this disease. |
New neuromuscular network brings patients, scientists and clinicians together
February 14, 2020 - Genetic sequencing technology has dramatically increased our ability to diagnose rare neuromuscular diseases, opening the door to earlier and better treatment. A new national network called NMD4C (NeuroMuscular Disease for Canada) hopes to ... |
Findings could improve quality of life for people with spinal muscular atrophy
September 10, 2019 - People with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) could be at higher risk of cardiovascular and liver disease, according to the most comprehensive study to date. This means that screening for these conditions, establishing nutritional guidelines, and ... |
Researchers to advance science and improve health with new CIHR funding
February 14, 2019 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, are playing a lead role in nine new projects funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). These projects will advance science and improve health in ... |
Trainee receives Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Award
September 25, 2018 - Marc-Olivier Deguise, a MD/PhD student in Dr. Rashmi Kothary's lab, will receive the 2018 Jim Glionna Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Award for medical students in a ceremony in Montreal on May 2, 2019. This award recognizes medical students with a ... |
Can tiny bits of cells in the blood help track the progress of spinal muscular atrophy?
April 11, 2018 - Dr. Robin Parks was awarded $150,000 from CureSMA to see if tiny bits of cells called exosomes can be used to track how spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) progresses and responds to treatment. SMA is the number one genetic cause of death in infants. Deb |
The Ottawa Hospital awarded $12.7M for research, double the national CIHR success rate
January 30, 2018 - Sixteen research groups at The Ottawa Hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, have been awarded $12.7 million in the most recent project grant competition from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). This represents a success r |
Top trainee hopes his unexpected discovery may help children with spinal muscular atrophy
October 26, 2017 - Marc-Olivier Deguise hopes to change the way that specialists and researchers think about a childhood muscle-wasting disease called spinal muscular atrophy. Traditionally considered a disease of the nerves controlling the muscles, Deguise found that |
CFI provides $18-million boost to research on neuromuscular diseases, cancer-fighting viruses, the power of light and radioactive atoms
October 12, 2017 - The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) has awarded $18 million in funding to support cutting-edge research led by four teams from The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa.
“The innovation made possible by this infrastructure support |
Ottawa neuromuscular researchers show global leadership
September 27, 2017 - Neuromuscular researchers at The Ottawa Hospital, the University of Ottawa and CHEO shone on the global stage last weekend, during the 4th Ottawa International Conference on Neuromuscular Disease & Biology (Ottawa NMD 2017). The conference featured |
Research on repairing MS damage gets $300,000 grant
June 2, 2017 - Dr. Rashmi Kothary was awarded $300,000 from the MS Society of Canada to investigate a molecule that may be preventing repair of the damage caused by multiple sclerosis (MS). During MS the immune system mistakenly attacks the insulation that protec |
Researchers investigate role of immune system in Spinal Muscular Atrophy
February 1, 2017 - Surprising new research has found that spinal muscular atrophy, traditionally thought of as a neuromuscular disease, may also affect the immune system. SMA is the number one genetic cause of death in infants, and is caused by the lack of a protein |
Running triggers production of a molecule that repairs the brain in animal models of neurodegenerative disease
October 11, 2016 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa have discovered that a molecule triggered by running can help repair certain kinds of brain damage in animal models. They found that this molecule, called VGF nerve growth factor ind |
Research helps unravel complex genetics of Spinal Muscular Atrophy
September 21, 2016 - Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disease caused by mutations or deletions in the SMN1 gene. However, some people with the exact same mutations suffer much more severe symptoms than others. New research led by Dr. Rashmi Kothary’s |
Genetic muscle-wasting disease follows different patterns depending on severity
August 3, 2016 - The number one genetic cause of death in infants is Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a condition that causes debilitating and often fatal muscle weakness. In a study published in Scientific Reports, Dr. Rashmi Kothary and his team found that the muscle d |
Does Spinal Muscular Atrophy affect muscle stem cells? $140,000 grant to help researchers find out
April 19, 2016 - Dr. Rashmi Kothary has been awarded $140,000 from Families of SMA Canada to study how Spinal Muscular Atrophy, or SMA, affects muscle stem cells. SMA is the number one genetic cause of death in infants and impacts 1 in 10,000 babies. Individuals |
Rare nerve disease linked to problems in cellular waste recycling
September 9, 2015 - Dr. Rashmi Kothary and his team have made a breakthrough in understanding a rare inherited nerve disease that results in death before the age of two. Called HSAN-VI, this disease is caused by a mutation in a gene called dystonin. Dr. Kothary and hi |
