Message from the Center Director
As the Director for the University of Washington’s Center for Neurogenetics and Neurotherapeutics (CN&N), it is my distinct pleasure to describe to you how the CN&N came into existence and what we hope to accomplish.
The CN&N, inaugurated on October 11, 2004, was created to bring together the many outstanding neurological disease researchers who aim to broaden our understanding of a wide range of neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental, and neuromuscular diseases. As our mission statement points out, we are a basic research center aimed at translating advances in the research laboratory into meaningful treatments for patients suffering from such neurological disorders. The depth and breadth of the Center are a direct reflection of the numerous and varied strengths of the University of Washington School of Medicine and its faculty.
As you read this, some of you may be wondering: why create such a Center at all and why now? The reason is simple. There are many neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental, and neuromuscular disorders that inflict a great deal of pain and suffering upon patients and their families. Unfortunately, at this time, we have very little to offer in the way of therapy. Many of us in the course of our lives are likely to be touched by such diseases, especially since we are living longer than ever before due to advances in so many other areas of medicine. Whether it's a grandparent with Parkinson's disease; an uncle who died of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease); a niece who was born with autism or another severe developmental disability, many of us have had personal experiences with these diseases.
The disorders that we work on are devastating, and they rob people of the very qualities that make us human: the ability to think, to move, to live independently. It's my view that we are about to reach a turning point. It is now possible to envision the day when we will have effective treatments for these diseases. Our understanding of these diseases has advanced dramatically over the last two decades. We now have incredibly powerful tools to study these diseases, so we can approach them in a variety of novel ways previously unavailable. The purpose of the Center is to bring together researchers from a wide range of disciplines to do just that, and to keep our gaze fixed on the goal of developing meaningful treatments.
There is no doubt that we face enormous challenges in our study of these diseases, and the roadblocks encountered during the quest for cures will be daunting. Nevertheless, there has never been a more opportune time to solve these diseases. I am confident that, with your support, the CN&N will be at the forefront of advances in the field of neurological disease research and make important contributions to the success of this endeavor. We cannot hesitate in these pursuits, there is too much at stake.
- Albert La Spada, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.M.G.
Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Neurology
Director, Center for Neurogenetics & Neurotherapeutics
University of Washington