The Story Behind the Discovery of Gene for Stuttering - April 2, 2010
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The Long Road to Discovery: Stuttering Genes Turn Up in the Most Unexpected Places
By Robin Latham
Changsoo Kang, Ph.D., a visiting fellow in NIDCD’s Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, remembers the day vividly. Sitting in an undergraduate Introduction to Biomedical Science class in South Korea, he was asked what role genes play in humans.
“I said that genes are involved in functions having to do with thinking and speaking, and was told that I was wrong.”
More than 17 years later, Dr. Kang and an international group of researchers led by Dennis Drayna, Ph.D., have shown that genes do indeed play a role, at least in speaking, with the discovery of genes associated with stuttering. Stuttering is a communication disorder that affects more than 3 million people in America, and another 60 million worldwide. Their discovery is beginning to push back the fog of mystery that surrounds stuttering and opening up new avenues for treatment.
How this discovery was made is a tale of ingenuity, perseverance, and the ability to recognize what you’re looking for in unexpected places.
Read the Rest of this Article on the NIDCD Website
The Long Road to Discovery: Stuttering Genes Turn Up in the Most Unexpected Places
By Robin Latham
Changsoo Kang, Ph.D., a visiting fellow in NIDCD’s Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, remembers the day vividly. Sitting in an undergraduate Introduction to Biomedical Science class in South Korea, he was asked what role genes play in humans.
“I said that genes are involved in functions having to do with thinking and speaking, and was told that I was wrong.”
More than 17 years later, Dr. Kang and an international group of researchers led by Dennis Drayna, Ph.D., have shown that genes do indeed play a role, at least in speaking, with the discovery of genes associated with stuttering. Stuttering is a communication disorder that affects more than 3 million people in America, and another 60 million worldwide. Their discovery is beginning to push back the fog of mystery that surrounds stuttering and opening up new avenues for treatment.
How this discovery was made is a tale of ingenuity, perseverance, and the ability to recognize what you’re looking for in unexpected places.
Read the Rest of this Article on the NIDCD Website
Tags: News of the Week 2 April 2010 Stuttering Article SLP Newsletter
