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Spotlight – The Hauser Lab

August 28, 2026

(Group picture of the Hauser Lab at the ‘Stem Cells in Neuroscience’ Conference in Tübingen, 2026. Back row, left to right: Linus Wiora, Stefan Hauser, Jacob Helm, Hariharan Menon, Luisa Baraban, Anabel Dickemann, Egemen Turkyilmaz. Front row, left to right: Lukas Senftleben, Natalia Vingut, Benedikt Meyer, Amelie Leonhardt, Clemens Sauter, Till Stoltenow.  Not pictured: Yvonne Schelling, Melanie Kraft, Ludger Schöls)  Principal Investigator: Stefan Hauser, PhD (Dr. rer. nat.) Location: German Center Read More…

Snapshot: What is an Endpoint?

August 21, 2026

When scientists test a new treatment in a clinical trial, they need a reliable way to determine whether it is safe and effective. To do this, they rely on endpoints.  Endpoints are clearly defined outcomes that are measured during a trial to help determine the effects of an intervention. Clinical trials usually include several types of Read More…

Snapshot: What is Levacetylleucine?

August 14, 2026

Levacetylleucine, sold under the brand name Aqneursa, is an FDA-approved treatment for Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC). It is an oral medicine, approved by the FDA in September 2024, later approved in the European Union in January 2026. Its exact mechanism of action remains unclear, but it is believed to Read More…

The impact of environmental factors on SCA6

August 7, 2026

Written by Tala Ortiz Edited by Celeste Suart, PhD   Ever wonder if experiences early in life impact symptoms of a genetic disease? Researchers found that genetics isn’t the only thing to consider in SCA6  Does the environment play a role in genetic diseases? That is the question these authors aim to answer in the context Read More…

Snapshot: What Is an Expanded Access Program?

July 24, 2026

When faced with a serious illness and no effective treatment, patients may look to experimental therapies as a last resort. Normally, patients can only access experimental drugs or other investigational medical products through clinical trials. Unfortunately, not everyone can access a clinical trial when they need it. Some live too far Read More…

The influence of age on the severity of SCA2 

July 10, 2026

Written by Ross Pelzel    Edited by Dr. Larissa Nitschke  New mouse studies show that mutant ataxin-2 causes dramatically more damage in older animals, revealing aging as an independent driver of disease severity    In Afonso et al. 2022, the authors set out to understand how age influences the development of symptoms in spinocerebellar ataxia Read More…

Snapshot: What Are Transgenic Mouse Models?

June 26, 2026

Why do we need mouse models for disease research? Mouse models are crucial for understanding human diseases. They allow researchers to study how diseases develop and to test potential treatments in ways that wouldn’t be possible in humans. But how do scientists create mouse models that mimic specific diseases? One widely used Read More…

Wearable Sensors Show Daily Walking Differs from Clinic Tests for SCA Patients

June 19, 2026

Written by Yujia Li  Edited by Celeste Suart, PhD Walking test in a hospital is not the same as walking at home. Wearable sensors show that real-world walking is more variable than in the hospital.   We don’t usually think about how we walk until walking starts to feel different. Walking actually takes more effort than we realize. In spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) patients, changes Read More…

Moving Heals! Exercise and a TrkB Agonist Offer New Hope for SCA6

June 12, 2026

Written by Élyse Zadigue-Dubé   Edited by Priscila Pereira Sena New research in SCA6 mouse models suggests boosting BDNF-TrkB signaling could change the game. Is there a world where an SCA6 diagnosis does not equate to a life sentence of motor incoordination? A study by Cook and colleagues investigated a signaling Read More…

Snapshot: What is a CT Scan?

May 29, 2026

A computer tomography (CT) scan, also called a CAT scan, is a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses X-rays and a computer to help doctors see inside your body.  CT scans provide detailed, cross-sectional pictures of bones, soft tissues, and organs that doctors can use to detect problems like injuries, infections, Read More…

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