U-of-I researchers believe they have another key to Muscular Dystrophy

University of Iowa researchers says they’ve found another piece of the genetic puzzle which causes muscular dystrophy. Dr. Kevin Campbell is a neurology professor at the U-of-I and he’s heading up the study.He says they’ve identified a key protein in the muscle membranes that seems to be involved in several forms of congenital muscular dystrophy. Dr. Campbell says the discovery of this molecular “mechanism” which appears to be the root cause of a subset of muscular dystrophies is a big step toward finding a cure.Muscular dystrophy afflicts about one in every 20-thousand people. Campbell was asked how far medical researchers are from curing this debilitating disease which weakens and destroys muscles. He says they’re getting a better understanding of the disease, but he can’t say how close the cure might be.The study appears in the July 25th issue of the journal “Nature”.