Joana Fernandes, PhD,  —

Joana brings more than 8 years of academic research and experience as well as Scientific writing and editing to her role as a Science and Research writer. She also served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology in Coimbra, Portugal, where she also received her PhD in Health Science and Technologies, with a specialty in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

Articles by Joana Fernandes

Huntington’s Expert to Give Webinar on Environmental Factors Influencing the Disease

Huntington’s disease specialist Herwig Lange will give an online presentation Thursday, April 6, on environmental factors that impact the disease’s onset, progression and severity. Patients, caregivers, disease advocates, foundation members and others interested in Huntington’s can register for the free webinar here. The presentation will be titled “Beyond Genetics: The Importance…

Blood Samples May Help Track Disease Progression in Huntington’s Patients

Blood samples may be crucial in tracking brain changes that occur in people with Huntington’s disease, a new study finds. Researchers also report that Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s patients have certain inflammatory mechanisms in common, suggesting a potential for shared therapeutic approaches. The study, “Huntington’s disease blood and brain show a common gene expression pattern and share an…

Study Finds Novel Insight into ‘Ballooning Cell Death’ in Huntington’s Patients

A new Japanese study confirms that a phenomenon called “ballooning cell death” (BCD) occurs in patients with Huntington’s disease. The study, “A novel form of necrosis, TRIAD, occurs in human Huntington’s disease,” appeared in the journal Acta Neuropathologica Communications. Basically, three types of cell deaths occur in cells: apoptosis (cells program…

BRACE Award Furthers Research into Faulty Cell ‘Recycling’ Process Tied to Huntington’s

BRACE, a U.K. charity supporting dementia research, awarded more than £58,500 ($72,631) to a team of scientists investigating how a faulty “recycling” mechanism in neurons contributes to the onset of neurological diseases such as Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s. The winning team at Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry (PUPSMD)…