Nov 12 – Nov 15th 2024, London United Kingdom
Hosted by FARA, NAF, AGI and Ataxia UK
The International Congress for Ataxia Research (ICAR) 2024, held from November 12th to 15th in London, marked a significant milestone in ataxia research, bringing together over 600 experts from 32 countries.
Key Highlights from ICAR 2024:
Genetic Insights: Researchers unveiled a novel class of pathogenic alleles in Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), previously undetected by standard genetic tests, which may influence gene expression and open avenues for new therapeutic strategies.
Therapeutic Targets: The protein FDX2 was identified as a potential therapeutic target for FA. Findings suggest that reducing FDX2 levels could mitigate the effects of frataxin deficiency, offering a promising direction for future treatments.
Inflammation’s Role: Studies highlighted the involvement of inflammation in FA progression, with early activation of glial cells preceding neuronal degeneration. This underscores the potential of anti-inflammatory approaches in managing the disease.
Innovative Therapies: Advancements in gene therapies were showcased, including synthetic genome regulators like SynTEF1, which, in combination with HDAC inhibitors, enhance frataxin gene expression by overcoming chromatin-based repression.
The conference also featured a panel discussion with individuals affected by ataxia, providing valuable perspectives to guide future research priorities.
ICAR 2024 exemplified the global commitment to advancing ataxia research, fostering collaborations, and accelerating the development of effective treatments.
Read more at ataxiacongress.org