MCEC Ph.D. candidate receives NIH award for neuromuscular disease research

University of Maine Ph.D. candidate Amanda Ignacz has received the prestigious Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health. 

Enrolled in the Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering’s (GSBSE) biomedical science program her research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of DPM3-mediated dystroglycanopathy, a rare neuromuscular disease, using a zebrafish model. Although only 11 individuals have been diagnosed with this specific condition, it is part of the broader group of Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation, for which no cures currently exist. Ignacz, driven by the loss of her brother to Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is committed to discovering the mechanisms behind disease progression and developing potential therapies.

Read More on Ignacz’s Research and Story from UMaine Research