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Jesse's Journey is a leader in funding research aimed at finding a treatment and eventual cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. DMD is a genetic disorder that gradually weakens the body's muscles. It's caused by incorrect or missing genetic information that prevents the body from making the proteins it needs to build and maintain healthy muscles. Jesse's Journey is funding research projects in the United States and across Canada .
 Dr. David Hill is the Scientific Director at London 's Lawson Health Research Institute. Dr. Hill says “Jesse's Journey has placed a scientific flag in the ground and it's pointing to a medical solution to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We want others to rally to the standard – those who will further scientific expertise, and those with financial resources to drive science onward to the clinic.”
 Dr. Johnny Huard is a Canadian from Gaspe , Quebec who heads a team of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh . His team is focusing on unlocking the potential of gene therapy. Dr. Huard has made significant advances in the identification of muscle-derived stem cells and is working on a cutting-edge treatment program in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
 Dr. Michael Rudnicki is the Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Health Research Institute where the first Jesse Davidson lab is located. Dr. Rudnicki is also the Scientific Director of Canada's Stem Cell Network which brings together more than 70 leading scientists, clinicians, engineers and ethicists from universities and industry across Canada with a mandate to investigate the immense potential of stem cells to treat diseases.
 Dr. Jerry Mendell's lab at Children's Hospital in Columbus , Ohio is devoted to the development of potential treatments for neuromuscular diseases including Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Dr. Mendell was among the first to test muscle cell transplantation for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and is the first person to study viral mediated gene therapy for muscular dystrophy in humans.
 Funded by Jesse's Journey, Dr. Jacque Tremblay in Quebec City has taken an important step toward finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy after performing the first successful muscle cell transplant in young Canadian patients.
 In Vancouver, Dr. Fabio Rossi, a recipient of funding from Jesse's Journey heads a multi-disciplinary team made up of researchers from Canada 's Stem Cell Network who are focusing on Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Last year Jesse's Journey completed a 3 year commitment of nearly $1,100,000 in funding programs for research into DMD across North America .
This year alone, we were able to grant more the $365,000 to further Duchenne research projects, supporting the work of Dr. Jerry Mendell, Dr. Jacques Tremblay and Dr. Fabio Rossi.
For a more detailed description of their work, please click here.
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