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National Ataxia Foundation

2023 AAC

Research Methods

Snapshot: What is a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS)?

A genome is a person’s complete set of DNA which provides the instructions to make and maintain their body’s functions. Throughout the entire genome, there are genetic differences between individuals known as single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs (pronounced “snips”). These variations may be unique or may occur in many people. Read More…

Snapshot: What is Autophagy?

Autophagy is an important disposal mechanism in our bodies, and it is not as scary as the word sounds. The word autophagy is derived from Greek, with ‘auto’ referring to ‘self’ and ‘phagy’ meaning ‘eating’. Autophagy is important for the growth and development of our cells. It helps to restructure Read More…

Snapshot: What is the Rotarod Test?

Patients with ataxia share many common symptoms, including a loss of coordination. While these symptoms might be easy to see in patients, testing movement ability is not as straightforward in mouse models of ataxia. Because of this, researchers use something called the “rotarod performance test” to assess motor coordination and Read More…

Snapshot: How Do Scientific Articles Get Published?

The process of publishing a scientific article begins when a group of scientists set out to answer an outstanding question in their field. They then design and conduct a set of experiments to answer this question. Once the scientists feel that their results answer their questions, one of them – Read More…

Snapshot: What is Protein Degradation?

The Life Cycle of a Protein No protein is made to last forever. Just as DNA and RNA direct a coordinated process for protein creation, there is also a process for proteins to be broken down by the cell. We call this proteolysis or protein degradation. Proteins are broken down Read More…

Snapshot: What is Statistical Significance?

What is statistical significance? Anyone interested in research, be it experiments testing the effects of new medications or studies of human behaviour, is bound to eventually encounter the term statistical significance. Despite being a fundamental feature of research, the concept of statistical significance is often a source of confusion beyond Read More…

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