Research initiatives

Just as an aspirin reduces the inflammation and pain from a viral infection, but has no effect against the virus itself, most treatments for neurodegenerative diseases target only symptoms. But by "translating" our understanding of the basic disease mechanisms into meaningful patients treatments, we will change this picture. Our aim is to strike at the cause of a disease rather than its effects.

A few examples of Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center research initiatives are described below, with more details and initiatives described at left.

Drug Discovery

Sadly, the number of new drugs developed by industry to treat neurodegenerative disease has been declining over the past ten years. Disease complexity and the small market size for some diseases contribute to this trend. Our solution is the Laboratory for Drug Discovery in Neurodegeneration (LDDN). Established in 2001, it takes on the early, high-risk part of drug discovery. In addition, we mature the more promising drug candidates to the point that we garner interest from the commercial sector. Our track record is already impressive — including partnerships with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, as well as the venture philanthropy community, to help drive the most promising projects toward meaningful patient treatments. 

Collaborating to understand genetics of MS

Many research groups previously searched for the genetic causes of MS, with limited success. A bolder approach was needed. The solution is the International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium. We joined forces with world leaders in MS, autoimmune disease and genomics, and assembled the largest ever genetics study of MS. In July 2007, we identified several variations in the genome that put individuals at increased risk of developing MS. This knowledge encouraged the further expansion of the consortium, along with an even bolder research agenda: a much larger study, already underway, to identify all MS risk genes. 

Biomarkers Discovery

A "biomarker" is a surrogate for disease symptoms and progression. One example is "cholesterol" as an indicator of a patient's risk of heart disease. Good biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases are badly needed — to permit earlier diagnoses and speed up clinical trials of new drugs. Our solution is to launch a new program dedicated to Biomarkers Discovery for neurodegenerative diseases.