Award for research on Rett syndrome

Huda Zoghbi ( left ) and Adrian Bird. © private - Huda Zoghbi and Adrian Bird receive the International Prize for Translational Neuroscience 2022 of the Gertrud Reemtsma Foundation for their findings on the causes of Rett syndrome The brain is one of nature's most complex structures. About 100 billion nerve cells work together to control vital functions as well as thinking and learning processes. When it comes to neurological diseases, it is often quite difficult to uncover the underlying changes. This year, the Gertrud Reemtsma Foundation is awarding the International Prize for Translational Neuroscience to two scientists for their work on Rett syndrome. Huda Zoghbi from the Baylor College of Medicine in the US has identified the MECP2 gene as the cause of Rett syndrome and studied its role in various neurons. Adrian Bird from the University of Edinburgh has uncovered the role of the MeCP2 protein in the regulation of genes and genetically modified mice so that Rett syndrome can be researched in them.