Spotlight is shone onto rare genetic condition research in Northampton

A University of Northampton based scientist has called attention to continuing the important research being carried out at our Park campus into a devastating childhood condition.

Dr Karen Anthony, a lecturer in Molecular Bioscience at University of Northampton, made the call as the international spotlight is turned on World Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) Awareness day (7 September).

DMD is a muscle wasting condition that is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood. Dr Anthony and her team are part of a worldwide effort to standardise clinical trials of DMD drugs, as well as working to gain a deeper understanding of the biology of the condition.

Dr Anthony has even taken valuable time out of the lab to kick-start her own crowdfunding campaign to bolster the work of a newly appointed student researcher.

She is looking for financial backing from businesses and members of the public to help provide vital equipment for a young researcher to undertake a project to understand how DMD affects the brain as well as muscles.

Dr Anthony said: “Medical research requires a considerable amount of equipment and acquiring the necessary funds can be challenging, particularly for rare diseases such as DMD. Crowdfunding is one solution that can help.

“Our campaign will run throughout September, coinciding with World Duchenne Awareness Day on 7 September. Through research, we are helping to provide a normal independent future for individuals living with DMD.

“Backers of our project will receive project updates, free gifts and exclusive interactive laboratory tours. Donors will also be recognised when the results are published.”

Innovative and world-leading medical research such as this is expanding in Northampton, helped by the creation of our new Waterside Campus that opens in September 2018.

Dr Anthony can be contacted via email at karen.anthony@northampton.ac.uk

For more about the crowdfunding campaign with an informative video.

To find out more and to back Dr Anthony’s research on Duchenne.

To find out more about World Duchenne Awareness day visit.

For more information about our Human Bioscience course.

The crowdfunding platform, Experiment, recently surpassed £1,000,000 in total funding raised. Scientists using the platform have been featured by the BBC, The Economist, Forbes, Nature, and The New York Times.