It seems unlikely that American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou spent much time thinking about translational research. But two quotes of hers capture the essence of the interplay between bench and bedside: “I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better” and “I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.” At the 2023 Annual Congress of the European Academy of Neurology, Mary Reilly described the relationship between bench and bedside as “a continuous circle of translation,” with each cycle beginning with patients and their needs.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked genetic disorder affecting roughly 1 in 3,500 males. DMD is due to mutations in the dystrophin gene, which encodes for an exceptionally large 427 kD protein. DMD is characterized by repeated degeneration and regeneration of muscle fibers, but ultimately replacement of muscle with fibrotic and adipose tissue. Despite advances in gene therapy and improvements in quality of life, most patients still die by 30 years of age due to cardiopulmonary failure.

ΔF508 is the most prevalent mutation detected in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), and it causes a loss of F508 within CFTR’s first nucleotide binding domain (NBD1). Researchers from Sionna Therapeutics Inc. recently reported the discovery and preclinical evaluation of novel small-molecule CFTR NBD1 stabilizers and CFTR assembly correctors as potential new agents for the treatment of CF.

The unprecedented rise in life expectancy has made advances in the understanding of biological hallmarks of aging, at both the molecular and cellular levels, essential. A joint effort between Baylor College of Medicine, Genentech Inc., Stanford University and collaborating institutions has led to the release of the first Aging Fly Cell Atlas (AFCA) as a result of a deep dive analysis of 163 different cell types in Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly.

A group of German and French scientists has identified 15 genetic variants in a proteasome protein complex that are related to neurodevelopmental delay and also alter interferon type 1-mediated immune signaling. The finding contributes to the diagnosis of this neurological disorder and gives an opportunity for the development of therapies in patients who have these mutations.

Bietti’s crystalline corneoretinal dystrophy (BCD) is an autosomal recessive inherited disease caused by mutations in the cytochrome P450 (CYP) family 4 subfamily V member 2 (CYP4V2) gene, which encodes a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) hydroxylase dominantly expressed in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells.