Right to left: Dr Pascal Chartrand and Dr Éric Lecuyer
The Montréal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) is delighted to announce that Génome Québec, Ataxia Canada and Muscular Dystrophy Canada have awarded a grant to Dr. Éric Lécuyer and Dr. Pascal Chartrand as part of the Innovative Therapies for Hereditary Ataxias competition.
This grant will enable innovative experimental approaches to be deployed to characterize the impact of mutations causing three different types of cerebellar ataxia, which lead to the production, by the cells of affected patients, of abnormal RNAs containing aberrant nucleotide repeats.
“By better understanding the impact of these abnormal RNAs on cellular functions, this project could lead to the development of new therapeutic avenues for treating these diseases," explained Dr. Eric Lécuyer.
“These two researchers’ cutting-edge work is fully in line with the IRCM's commitment to innovative and forward-looking therapies," commented Dr. Jean-François Côté, President and Scientific Director of the IRCM, adding: "Rare diseases such as ataxia take a heavy toll on those who suffer from them, and who deserve to have science do its utmost to help them.’’
The Innovative Therapies for Hereditary Ataxias competition was created to encourage the discovery and development of new therapies, and to mobilize the research ecosystem.
This competition serves, in part, the third axis of Quebec's action plan on rare diseases, which is "Promoting research, innovation and data collection,” by promoting basic and translational research.
Poorly Understood Diseases
Ataxias, also known as cerebellar syndromes, are a group of neurodegenerative pathologies of the cerebellum and/or brainstem, resulting in disorders of balance, of voluntary movements coordination without muscular weakness, as well as ocular involvement.
