Few people have heard of the deadly degenerative disease called Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), but a University of Alberta researcher is hoping to provide clues to treating this mysterious disorder. Dr. Shelagh Campbell, a basic researcher from the U of A’s Department of Biological Sciences, studies how normal cell cycles are regulated by analyzing genes that are responsible for repairing DNA damage, which may offer insights into human diseases like cancer and A-T. A-T is a progressive, degenerative disease that affects a startling number of body systems. Children with A-T appear normal at birth but around the age of two, some of the first signs -- poor balance and difficulty walking, caused by ataxia or lack of muscle control -- start appearing.
