Posts by: Joana Fernandes, PhD

Joana Fernandes, PhD

Joana brings more than 8 years of academic research and experience as well as Scientific writing and editing to her role as a Science and Research writer. She also served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology in Coimbra, Portugal, where she also received her PhD in Health Science and Technologies, with a specialty in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

July 25, 2017July 25, 2017

SIRT3 Protein Needed for Supplement to Aid Heart in Friedreich’s Ataxia, Study Suggests

News

A protein called SIRT3 was essential to restore the heart contractility and energy metabolism that can result from an energy-promoting supplement called nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), researchers report from a study in Friedreich’s ataxia mouse ... Read more

July 18, 2017July 18, 2017

MicroRNAs Levels in Blood May Diagnose Friedreich’s Ataxia and Those Patients with Heart Failure, Study Says

News

Seven microRNAs that circulate in the blood may serve as biomarkers that help clinicians to diagnose Friedreich’s ataxia, according to results of a recent study. High levels of one of ... Read more

July 6, 2017July 6, 2017

Researchers Create ‘Heart Cells in a Dish’ to Study FA Heart Disease

News

Australian researchers have successfully turned stem cells from Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) patients into heart cells to study molecular anomalies that may contribute to this disease. These “heart cells in a dish” ... Read more

May 2, 2017May 9, 2017

Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance Opens Two Research Grant Awards

News

Researchers working in Friedreich’s ataxia may submit their project proposals for funding by two grants awarded by the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), the Kyle Bryant Translational Research Award ... Read more

April 27, 2017April 27, 2017

FDA to Host Patient-Focused Drug Development Meeting for FA Community

News

Patients with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) and caregivers may benefit from participating in the upcoming Patient-Focused Drug Development meeting by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The meeting will ... Read more

March 7, 2017March 7, 2017

Preventing Frataxin Degradation May Be Strategy to Manage Friedreich’s Ataxia

News

Researchers may have found a new therapeutic target for the management of Friedreich’s ataxia. A study, “E3 Ligase RNF126 Directly Ubiquitinates Frataxin, Promoting Its Degradation: Identification Of A Potential ... Read more

February 23, 2017

Vibration Device, Equistasi, Seen to Aid Movement in Ataxia Patients in Small Study

News

Equistasi, a medical device, may improve limb and gait ataxia — a loss of control of voluntary muscular movement — in patients with hereditary cerebellar ataxia, such as Friedreich’s ... Read more

February 21, 2017

Late-Onset Friedreich’s Ataxia May Be Confused with Another Genetic Disorder, Case Study Finds

News

Symptoms of late-onset Friedreich’s ataxia may be confused with those of another genetic disorder, Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) disease, according to a case study. Researchers called for a careful evaluation of ... Read more

January 12, 2017

Scientists Use Gene Editing Technique to Restore Production of Frataxin Protein in Mice

News

Researchers have successfully corrected a mutated frataxin gene that leads to reduced production of the frataxin (FTX) protein and development of disease in mice, according to new research. This ... Read more

December 6, 2016

Researchers Identify Molecular Pathway Leading to Neuronal Loss, Heart Disease in Mice with Friedreich’s Ataxia

News

Researchers have identified the molecular mechanism through which loss of frataxin, the protein missing in Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), causes cell damage leading to neurodegeneration, according to a new mouse ... Read more