Global group to investigate genetic causes of cerebral palsy
A new international research group has been established to investigate the underlying genetic causes of聽cerebral palsy, spurred on by the discoveries of 成人大片 researchers.
The news comes as the Adelaide team behind the new collaboration has been awarded a $1 million grant to聽continue its groundbreaking work, from The Tenix and Cerebral Palsy Foundations.
The newly established International Cerebral Palsy Genomics Consortium includes members from聽universities in China, Canada, USA, Sweden, Turkey, and Australia.
The new consortium has grown from the research leadership of Emeritus Professor Alastair MacLennan, AO,聽and Professor Jozef Gecz, based in the 成人大片鈥檚 Robinson Research Institute. Professors聽MacLennan and Gecz and their Australian Cerebral Palsy Research Group have led the field internationally in聽showing that cerebral palsy is often linked to a genetic susceptibility.
鈥淔or decades, it has been the belief that cerebral palsy occurs when a child experiences a lack of oxygen聽during pregnancy or at birth. However, the evidence shows that at least one in four cerebral palsy cases is聽associated with genetic mutations,鈥 Emeritus Professor MacLennan says.
The group has built up a large DNA biobank from cerebral palsy families linked to de-identified pregnancy聽details and cerebral palsy type. Using next-generation DNA sequencing technologies, the research group has聽detected many new genetic variants likely to be causing cerebral palsy.
鈥淥ur research is laying to rest the myth that cerebral palsy often is due to asphyxia or trauma at birth and is聽preventable by earlier delivery,鈥 Professor MacLennan says.
As several other genomics or neurodevelopmental disorder centres around the world have begun to conduct聽similar research, the Adelaide researchers have taken the initiative to promote collaboration rather than聽competition between these research groups.
To that effect, researchers representing the key, active cerebral palsy genomics groups from around the world,聽as well as representatives from around Australia, have agreed to form an International Cerebral Palsy聽Genomics Consortium, to foster collaborative research and to set up the world鈥檚 first genomics database of聽cerebral palsy genetic mutations linked to clinical details.
This large genetic and clinical database will be housed at the 成人大片.
鈥淪uch a register of genetic mutations is a must for our work,鈥 says Professor Gecz, who is Head of聽Neurogenetics with the University鈥檚 Robinson Research Institute, and member of the Healthy Mothers, Babies聽and Children theme at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).
鈥淐erebral palsy is associated with a diverse and large group of either inherited or spontaneous genetic聽mutations, that may sometimes interact with environmental triggers during pregnancy. This aberrant genetic聽diversity is also seen in autism and intellectual disability.
鈥淏y pooling international data sets of genetically and clinically characterised cerebral palsy cases, this will聽enable our group to identify common neurodevelopmental pathways and probable environmental triggers.
鈥淓ventually, we hope this will lead to clinical trials for better management and treatment of cerebral palsy,鈥澛燩rofessor Gecz says.
The Adelaide Group is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), The Cerebral聽Palsy Alliance, Channel 7 Children鈥檚 Research Foundation and The Tenix Foundation.
鈥淲e are incredibly grateful for the support of The Tenix Foundation and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation in what聽we believe is a critical area of research. Cerebral palsy impacts on the lives of many families the world over,聽and we want to do everything we can to help prevent, manage and treat this condition,鈥 Professor MacLennan聽says.
Media Contacts:
Emeritus Professor Alastair MacLennan, Head, Cerebral Palsy Research Group, Robinson Research Institute,聽The 成人大片, Mobile: +61 (0)400 383 144,聽alastair.maclennan@adelaide.edu.au
Professor Jozef Gecz, Head of Neurogenetics, Robinson Research Institute, The 成人大片; member of the Healthy聽Mothers, Babies and Children theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI)聽Mobile: +61 429 170 699,聽jozef.gecz@adelaide.edu.au
David Ellis, Media and Communications Officer, The 成人大片, Mobile: +61 (0)421 612 762,聽david.ellis@adelaide.edu.au