Dr Sandra Banack and Rep. Hageman.
U.S. Representative Harriet Hageman visited Jackson-based Brain Chemistry Labs, Wyoming’s only drug discovery lab focused on diagnosing, treating, and preventing neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other brain diseases.
During the lab tour, Senior Scientist Dr. Sandra Banack called out the team’s recent advances in ALS research, specifically regarding a blood diagnostic that uses only a single blood draw to diagnose disease with incredible accuracy.
“This Brain Chemistry Labs team has shown that these diseases can be slowed if not reversed, which is an enormous accomplishment. The research being done here in Wyoming has far-reaching impacts for millions everywhere suffering from these terrible diseases,” commented Representative Hageman.
Currently patients often wait as long as two years before receiving a definitive diagnosis, during which time the disease progresses and their condition declines. This new diagnostic will be of great benefit to patients and neurologists.
Representative Hageman commented that “better diagnosing and treating needs to be done for these diseases—I feel very strongly about that.”
Dr. Banack then discussed the work the team has underway on a blood diagnostic panel she hopes will someday be used as a tool by physicians to help identify those who may be at risk for developing neurodegenerative diseases, enabling earlier treatment and improved patient outcomes.
Dr. Banack also explained how the team had found a naturally occurring toxin that can trigger neurodegeneration by causing the characteristic protein misfolding.
In addition, the research at Brain Chemistry Labs has led to the discovery of a molecule that can significantly slow disease progression.
Dr. Banack also described the clinical trial currently underway at Houston Methodist on Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a precursor to Alzheimer’s.
A presentation highlighting recent research advances followed the lab tour, including significant progress made using Wyoming violets to help turbocharge current treatment for glioblastoma, a lethal form of brain cancer with a grim prognosis. This novel approach will begin in vivo testing later this year, with the intent of starting human clinical trials thereafter.
The Jackson-based Brain Chemistry Labs team is supported by a global consortium of fifty team members across 27 disciplines, including neurologists, neuropathologists, biologists, chemists, biochemists, physiologists, ecologists, and epidemiologists.
Representative Hageman was genuinely interested in the research capabilities of the Brain Chemistry Labs, noting that the work coming out of the lab seems to hold much promise.
“This Brain Chemistry Labs team has shown that these diseases can be slowed if not reversed, which is an enormous accomplishment. The research being done here in Wyoming has far-reaching impacts for millions everywhere suffering from these terrible diseases,” commented Representative Hageman.
Dr. Banack was very grateful that the Congresswoman took time to visit, noting that “we deeply appreciate her excitement for our work and her interest in helping us improve patient outcomes.”