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Movement, Muscle, and Mind

Community Event, Research

Location: Bird and Bear, 2 Whitehall Crescent, Dundee DD1 4AU

Organiser: Pint of Science

Start: 20/05/2026

6:30 pm

Discover how diseases such as Parkinson’s and ALS affect movement, balance, strength and independence. This evening will explore what happens when the systems that control muscles and movement begin to fail, and what this means for patients, families and future research.

Presentations –

Motor Neuron Disease: Insights from a galaxy (not too) far away

Chris Henstridge (Senior Lecturer Neuroscience, School of Medicine at the University of Dundee)

Our ability to move is controlled by cells in our brain and spinal cord called motor neurons. These cells talk to each other across billions of tiny junctions called synapses. But what happens if these essential connections fail? Synapse loss is one of the earliest changes linked to Motor Neuron Disease (MND), but we don’t know when, where or why this happens. Join us as we explore the inner workings of the brain and uncover how disconnection affects our ability to move. You will also hear how scientists in Dundee are using fruit flies to discover ways to protect these essential synapses.

Studying Synapse Loss in Motor Neuron Disease using Drosophila Melanogaster

Anna McFarlane (PhD student in the department of Neuroscience, University of Dundee)

Motor neuron disease (MND) refers to a group of disorders associated with loss of nerve cells which regulate movement. Loss of connections between nerve cells, called synapses, appears early in the disease, and may be a new treatment strategy. However, exactly how this synapse loss occurs remains unclear. My research studies the when and why of synapse loss in MND, using drosophila melanogaster due to the various benefits of them as a model organism. Using fruit flies, we track the progression of symptoms and identify how possible disease modifiers affect different aspects of the disease.

Supporters or enemies: Glial cells in neurodegeneration

Zsofia Laszlo ( Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the School of Medicine, University of Dundee)

Glial cells are essential support cells in the brain that nourish neurons, regulate their environment, and help maintain normal function. In neurodegenerative diseases, however, they can become overactive and harmful. Instead of protecting neurons, they release toxic molecules and begin breaking down surrounding tissue, including synapses and healthy cells. This disrupts brain communication and accelerates damage, contributing to disease progression and loss of function. In this talk, I will introduce glial cells and show how they shift from being supporters to enemies.

Dinja van den Hoorn

Dinja van der Hoorn (Postdoctoral Research Associate at the School of Medicine, University of Dundee)

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a childhood motor neuron disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness due to the loss of nerve cells. Unlike Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), most cases of SMA are caused due to a mutation of a single gene (survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1)) causing a low expression of the protein SMN. Because of this single genetic cause, several treatments targeting this gene are now available that help preserve the motor neuron and improve muscle function.

About Pint of Science

Pint of Science is a grassroots non-profit organisation that has grown astronomically over the few years since two people decided to share their research in the pub. Although our mission has expanded, our core values remain the same: to provide a space for researchers and members of the public alike to come together, be curious, and chat about research in a relaxed environment outside of mysterious laboratories or daunting dark lecture theatres. We believe that everyone has a place at the table to discuss the research going on both on our doorsteps and far beyond. Our missions and visions are based around the people that matter most: our audience, volunteers, speakers, and our wider research community.

Please note that the venue is not wheelchair accessible.

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