Pam Shaw on the research battle against motor neurone disease

The Life Scientific

BBC

Technology, Personal Journals, Society & Culture, Science

4.6 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 17 January 2023

⏱️ 29 minutes

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Summary

Motor Neuron Disease (MND) is a degenerative disease that relentlessly attacks the human nervous system, deteriorating muscle function to the point where patients can no longer move, talk, eat, or even breathe. To date there’s no cure, and until fairly recently there were only minimal treatments to ease the symptoms. Pam Shaw has dedicated her career to changing that. A Professor of Neurology at Sheffield University and Founding Director of the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, she recently led clinical trials into a drug that delivered unprecedented results: showing that it could slow the progression of MND in certain patients, and even improve symptoms for some. It’s just one small step – but with a new tranche of research funding and a national institute to study the disease on the cards, Pamela believes this could be the start of real progress in understanding and treating Motor Neuron Disease. Producer: Lucy Taylor

Transcript

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0:00.0	Before you listen to this BBC podcast, I'd like to introduce myself.
0:03.7	My name's Stevie Middleton and I'm a BBC Commissioner for a Load of Sport Podcasts.
0:08.4	I'm lucky to do that at the BBC because I get to work with a leading journalist, experienced
0:12.2	pundits and the biggest sport stars.
0:14.3	Together we bring you untold stories and fascinating insights straight from the players'
0:18.5	mouths.
0:19.5	But the best thing about doing this at the BBC is our unique access to the sport world.
0:25.0	What that means is that we can bring you podcasts that create a real connection to
0:28.8	dedicated sports fans across the UK.
0:31.2	So if you like this podcast, head over to BBC Sounds where you'll find plenty more.
0:40.3	Hello and welcome to the podcast edition of The Life Scientific.
0:43.9	I'm Jim Alkalili and this is the show where I get to talk with some of the world's leading
0:48.1	scientists and you get to find out about their remarkable work and what drives them.
0:53.5	Today we're talking about a condition that's been described by my guest as the disease
0:58.6	that doctors themselves would say they'd least want to get.
1:02.7	Motoneurone disease is an illness that attacks the nervous system, steadily weakening the
1:07.2	patient's muscles and making it increasingly hard for them to move, eat, talk, even breathe.
1:13.6	Today's guest has dedicated her working life to studying this condition, seeking not only
1:18.0	treatments but also practical ways to help patients manage the devastating symptoms.
1:23.9	Pamela Shaw is professor of neurology at the University of Sheffield and director of
1:28.4	the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience. She also led clinical trials
1:33.5	into the drug topherson which it was announced just last year has been shown to slow the progression
	...

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