Breakthrough Funding Boosts NYDMC's Effort to Cure Myotonic Dystrophy

Source: Times Union

Left to right: Dr. Kaalak Reddy, Dr. John Cleary, Dr. Andy Berglund

Under the leadership of Professor Andrew Berglund, the New York Myotonic Dystrophy Center (NYDMC) has secured a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health aimed at curing myotonic dystrophy (DM), the most common form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy affecting approximately 1 in 2,100 New Yorkers. The DM researchers affiliated with the NYDMC are developing small-molecule drugs designed to target the toxic RNA responsible for DM. This approach seeks to address the genetic root of the disease rather than merely alleviating its symptoms. The research process involves computational modeling, cell-based assays, and animal testing, with the ultimate goal of creating a medication capable of reaching all affected organs, including the heart, muscles, and brain. This grant complements previous funding, including $865,000 from the Marigold foundation and $1 million in federal support secured by U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, further establishing NYDMC as a significant center for DM research.

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