October 2024

NEUROSCIENCES

NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE ESTABLISHES NEW CENTER FOR ATAXIA RESEARCH AND TREATMENT

​Featuring: Puneet Opal, MD, ‘95 PhD​
Northwestern has established the Denning Ataxia Center, a multidisciplinary hub dedicated to improving the understanding of ataxia through integrating leading-edge research with patient-centered clinical care, with the goal of unraveling the complexities of the condition and developing improved treatments.

Puneet Opal, MD, ‘95 PhD, the Lewis John Pollock Professor of Neurology in the Division of Movement Disorders and of Cell and Developmental Biology, will serve as director of the center.
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“Thanks to a generous donation from philanthropist Steve Denning, researchers from the fields of genetics, electrophysiology, cellular and molecular biology, immunology, engineering and computational biology will be brought together under the aegis of the Denning Ataxia Center to understand cerebellar disorders from a more holistic perspective,” Opal said. “This is a great opportunity for us to expand on our already established ataxia clinic and help it grow into new directions and avenues as the number of diseases which cause ataxia are rapidly expanding.”

​The Denning Ataxia Center, part of the Feinberg Neuroscience Institute, will be dedicated to advancing the understanding, treatment and care for patients affected by ataxia, a disorder characterized by the loss of muscle control which can severely impact one’s ability to walk, use their hands, speak and see clearly.

In addition to conducting basic and clinical research, the center is also dedicated to advancing education and training in ataxia research and treatment through educational and training opportunities.

“To tackle debilitating conditions like genetic ataxias, it is important to develop a coordinated effort that brings together researchers and clinicians. The Denning Ataxia Center will provide such a platform designed to facilitate the innovative work and collaborations across different institutions,” said Dimitri Krainc MD, PhD, the Aaron Montgomery Ward Professor, chair of the Davee Department of Neurology and director of the Feinberg Neuroscience Institute.

The center is one of few ataxia centers worldwide that is recognized as a Center of Excellence by the National Ataxia Foundation and will bring together a multidisciplinary cohort of experts from genetics, neuroscience, immunology and computational biology to study cerebellar disorders from a holistic perspective, integrating cutting-edge research with patient-centered clinical care, according to Opal.

​“Our research and clinical care will be interwoven through dedicated efforts to translate our basic science discoveries into better treatments, conducted in collaboration with other ataxia specialists at other institutions. We are committed to improving the lives of individuals with ataxia and to making therapies available to patients around the world,” Opal said.

Information about the center can be found at the Denning Ataxia Center website and Northwestern faculty or trainees can apply to become a member through the Center’s membership application.

​This article was originally published in the Feinberg School of Medicine News Center on October 8, 2024. ​
Puneet Opal, MD, ‘95 PhD, the Lewis John Pollock Professor of Neurology in the Division of Movement Disorders and of Cell and Developmental Biology, will serve as director of the Denning Ataxia Center.

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