"Think about genes as being made of pieces of chocolate," says Dr. Nancy S. Wexler. Then she goes on to explain how she and her team of scientists at the Hereditary Disease Foundation discovered the genetic marker for the devastating
hereditary brain disorder known as Huntington’s disease. The discovery of the
marker led to the identification of the gene itself and played an important part in
the development of the Human Genome Project. It also has implications for
finding treatments and cures for other brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s,
Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s disease.
"Identifying the gene that causes Huntington’s disease unlocked many secrets
for us, but we’re still chasing a cure," Dr. Wexler says.
This chase has taken her from tiny villages on Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela,
where large numbers of families are impacted by Huntington’s disease, to
other areas of the globe and back to New York where she and the Hereditary
Disease Foundation’s scientific team work tirelessly to eliminate Huntington’s.
The team includes scientists from around the globe.
"Thanks to an extraordinary $1 million grant from The W.M. Keck Foundation, we are now conducting research to determine why some people develop Huntington’s at age 20 and others at age 60. We’re hunting for genes that can push Huntington’s out of the normal lifespan, moving the age of onset to age 95, 100 or older."
Dr. Wexler’s life has been haunted by Huntington’s disease. She saw her mother and other members of her family die from the catastrophic brain disease. Tragically, Huntington’s disease usually strikes in early to mid-adulthood, destroying brain cells, leaving victims unable to control their movements, causing severe cognitive declines, psychiatric problems and then death. This haunting spurred her into action at an early age and at a time when women research scientists weren’t that common in the U.S.
As President of the Hereditary Disease Foundation and a member of the faculty of Columbia University, Dr. Wexler is a research scientist who cares deeply for patients, acatalyst for other researchers, and an inspiration for young women considering a career in science.
Dr. Wexler says, "As scientists, we work for years toward goals that can seem elusive. We always have before us the human suffering of families whose lives have been shattered by disease. Bringing them hope and healing is what motivates us every day."
The Hereditary Disease Foundation
The Hereditary Disease Foundation is dedicated to finding cures and treatments for Huntington’s disease, and other devastating brain disorders that impact millions of people in the United States and worldwide. Established in 1968, the Hereditary Disease Foundation facilitates collaborative and innovative scientific research to further the understanding of Huntington’s disease, a genetic disorder that strikes in early to mid-adulthood, destroying brain cells, and bringing on severe and progressive declines in personality, cognitive ability, and mobility. It was work organized by the Foundation that led to the discovery of the genetic marker for Huntington’s disease in 1983. The Foundation organized and funded a decade-long international collaboration of over 100 scientists who discovered the gene that causes Huntington’s in 1993. This work played an important role in the development of the Human Genome Project. As a disease caused by a mistake on a single gene, Huntington’s disease is an ideal model for other brain disorders. Progress toward treatments and cures for Huntington’s disease can help in finding ways to treat other illnesses with more complex genetics, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS).
Contact: Myrna Manners, 718-986-7255 mmanners@mannersdotson.com
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Dr. Nancy S. Wexler