A Model for Discovering Cures for Rare Diseases

Description

Dr. Greg Cox, Assistant Professor at The Jackson Laboratory, studies a wide array of orphan and rare diseases, meaning diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 people. Join Cox on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. as he talks about his work on understanding the genetics behind these rare diseases including muscular dystrophies and motor neuron diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy and Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy.
 
Cox will talk about how his work researching a wide range of diseases, can lead to discoveries that can be used to treat multiple diseases and help many more patients. In addition to discussing his work, Cox will speak about mouse models and how these models are critical to his research. Mice share more than 95% of our DNA, which means humans and mice are often affected by a disease in similar ways. By studying mice that have symptoms of diseases that Cox is studying, Cox can better understand how the disease can possibly be treated in humans. He will also speak about how these animals are equally susceptible to the same devastating diseases.
 
This talk is part of the Primary Source speaker series, an annual collaboration between the Jesup Memorial Library and The Jackson Laboratory, featuring programs about genetics for a lay audience. This year’s theme is “How Your Genes are Shaping the Future of Healthcare.”
 
For more information on the talk contact the Jesup at 207-288-4245 or visit jesuplibrary.org/primarysource. And, for more information on The Jackson Laboratory visit jax.org.