Shining a Spotlight on UK Innovation in MND Research at the BNA Festival of Neuroscience 2025

MND Scotland is proud to be partnering with the MND Association and My Name’5 Doddie Foundation to support an exciting symposium today (30 April 2025) at the British Neuroscience Association (BNA) Festival of Neuroscience 2025. The session, titled “New approaches to diagnostics, biomarkers and trial drug selection in MND – highlighting UK MND translational research”, will spotlight the cutting-edge work happening across the UK to better understand, diagnose, and ultimately treat motor neuron disease (MND).

This symposium brings together leading experts and emerging early-career researchers to share the latest scientific advances that are driving MND research forward. Co-chaired by Professor Martin Turner and Dr Holly Spence, the session aims to showcase the progress being made in the UK MND Research Institute — progress that offers hope for people affected by this brutal disease.

Among the highlights of the session:

· Professor Martin Turner (University of Oxford) will present on EXPERTS-ALS, a novel human drug prioritisation trial platform, launched in late 2024 to transform how potential MND drugs are selected for clinical trials.

· Dr Holly Spence (University of Aberdeen) will introduce innovative RNA (ribonucleic acid) aptamer technology with the potential to revolutionise MND diagnosis—a much-needed tool for early detection and intervention.

· Dr Puja Mehta (University College London) will explore whether correcting cryptic exons—hidden genetic mutations—could open new doors for developing approaches to treatments for ALS.

· Dr Jill Richardson from global pharmaceutical company, MSD will wrap up the session with a forward-looking overview of the MND treatment pipeline.

This session reflects the collaborative spirit fostered by the UK MND Research Institute, which was launched in 2023. Backed by MND Scotland, the MND Association, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, and the government research funding agency UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the MND Research Institute is uniting researchers and clinicians to accelerate progress like never before.

For researchers across neuroscience — whether working directly in MND or not—this session offers a rare opportunity to hear from some of the leading voices in the field and to learn how innovations in MND could influence neurodegenerative disease research more broadly.

The work being showcased stands as a testament to what is possible when charities, scientists, and industry come together with a shared goal: a world without MND.