Comment 141 ALL

COMMENTTHE COLLEGE NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO 141 | MAY 2002Enzyme aidsspinal cordregenerationrial enzyme called chondroiti-ecent research by scientistsnase ABC destroys some of theat King’s Centre formolecules in the scar, allowingRNeuroscience Research maynerves a path to grow back along. pave the way for new treatmentsDr Elizabeth Bradbury, leadof spinal cord injuries.author and researcher in theSpinal cord injuries typicallyGuy’s, King’s & St Thomas’arise from car accidents, violence,School of Biomedical Sciences,falls and sports injuries, with ansaid: ‘The enzyme may becomeaverage of two new cases admit-part of a developing arsenal ofted every day in the UK alone.therapies to treat people suffer-In research published lasting from paralysing injuries. month in Nature and supported‘After damage to spinal cordby the Wellcome Trust, scientiststissue, a complex jungle of mole-from the Centre show how ancules is deposited in the scarredarea. Chondroitinase ABC actslike a “molecular machete” cut-Clinical trials involving thisting a path through the jungle of Stem cell licencetreatment as part of a multi-molecules that usually preventtargeted therapy could startspinal cord nerves growing back Professor Peter Braude and Dr Stephen Minger, together with Dr Susanwithin the next five years.Pickering were granted one of the first two UK licences by the Humaninto these damaged areas.Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to produce human ...