Bridge the Gap - SYNGAP Education and Research Foundation Presents Their First Research Grant to Texas Children's Hospital

Written By Amy Wang

HOUSTON, Sept. 17, 2018 - Bridge the Gap – SYNGAP Education and Research Foundation presented Texas Children's Hospital with their first research grant of $25,000, taking place at The Mark A. Wallace Tower in the Bluebird Clinic of Neurology on September 10, 2018. The award was presented by Monica Weldon, President/CEO, to Jimmy Holder, MD, Ph.D., the lead director of the center, and serves as the foundation's Scientific Advisory Boards Chairman.

Bridge the Gap - SYNGAP Education and Research Foundation awards first research grant of $25,000 to Texas Children's Hospital SYNGAP1 Center of Excellence
Bridge the Gap - SYNGAP Education and Research Foundation awards first research grant of $25,000 to Texas Children's Hospital SYNGAP1 Center of Excellence
Texas Children's is the first of two Centers of Excellence established last year. The other is located at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD. The funding for this grant will help support projects, including a biomarker study that will aid in preparing for pre-clinical trial design as they move forward toward finding possible treatments for patients with SYNGAP1 mutations.

SYNGAP1 – related non-syndromic intellectual disability (NSID) in humans was first reported in 2009. A mutation in SYNGAP1 results in intellectual disability ranging from mild to severe, epilepsy, and many other comorbidities. There can be associated attention deficits, impulsivity, and/or mood disorders. 94% - 100% of the SYNGAP1 patients have some type of epilepsy. SYNGAP1 is one of the top two single gene mutations being researched worldwide linked to autism. It also plays a vital role in brain plasticity and may represent one of the most common causes of ID worldwide. The use of genomic sequencing has dramatically increased the capacity of physicians to identify these mutations.

About Bridge the Gap – SYNGAP Education and Research Foundation, SYNGAP1 Foundation

Bridge the Gap – SYNGAP Education and Research Foundation (501(c) 3) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve, educate and fund research for families coping with the effects of SYNGAP1 mutations. The leading organization advocates and raises funds for research and treatments for SYNGAP1. Bridge the Gap-SYNGAP Education and Research Foundation's mission is to improve the quality of life for people affected by SYNGAP1, provide family support, accelerate research and raise awareness.

About Texas Children's Hospital

Texas Children's Hospital, located in Houston, Texas, is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to create a healthier future for children and women throughout our global community by leading in patient care, education, and research. We are proud to be consistently ranked among the top children's hospitals in the nation.

SOURCE Bridge the Gap - SYNGAP Education and Research Foundation

Read the rest of the article: https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/bridge-the-gap-syngap-education-and-research-foundation-presents-their-first-research-grant-to-texas-children-s-hospital/

Amy Wang
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