Education

2025 Science Symposium Videos are now available!

By Kevin McEntee / March 12, 2026 / Comments Off on 2025 Science Symposium Videos are now available!

The 2025 SLC6A1 Science Symposium was held in December, in Atlanta, Georgia. The event opened with our Founder, Amber Freed, announcing the first dosing of a human patient with SLC6A1 gene replacement therapy. Amber’s talk was followed by several additional scientific presentations on the current state of SLC6A1 research. All of the Symposium Videos are…

Understanding Rare Diseases Beyond the Numbers

By Sandra McEntee / February 27, 2025 / Comments Off on Understanding Rare Diseases Beyond the Numbers

As we continue our exploration of rare diseases, Dr. Sam Patel examines their global impact, diagnostic challenges, and treatment gaps, offering insights for researchers, policymakers, and patient advocates working toward better solutions. Rare diseases may be individually uncommon, but together, they affect an estimated 300 million people worldwide (AllHealthPolicy.org, 2023). In the United States, approximately 25 to…

SLC6A1 Connect and the Challenge of Rare Disease

By Sandra McEntee / January 11, 2025 / Comments Off on SLC6A1 Connect and the Challenge of Rare Disease

As we continue our exploration of rare diseases, this article by Dr. Sam Patel, examines the challenges and opportunities in advancing research for rare conditions, providing actionable insights for researchers, policymakers, and patient advocates alike. For decades, rare disease patients and their families have been overlooked by traditional healthcare systems and pharmaceutical markets. Yet, patient advocacy…

Understanding SLC6A1 Disorders: ASOs Screening Using iPSCs

By Sandra McEntee / January 11, 2025 / Comments Off on Understanding SLC6A1 Disorders: ASOs Screening Using iPSCs

As we continue our series on SLC6A1 gene disorders, this latest blog entry by Dr. Sam Patel explores how induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and their differentiated progeny are transforming drug screening platforms, with a focus on antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) as a therapeutic strategy for genetic conditions like SLC6A1-related disorders Understanding Gene Editing and Correction…

Understanding SLC6A1 Disorders: How iPSCs Are Helping Us Find New Treatments

By Sandra McEntee / October 28, 2024 / Comments Off on Understanding SLC6A1 Disorders: How iPSCs Are Helping Us Find New Treatments

As we continue our series on SLC6A1 gene disorders, Dr. Sam Patel delves into the function and cellular localization of the SLC6A1 gene in this second blog post. SLC6A1-related disorders are rare genetic conditions affecting young children, leading to seizures, developmental delays, and other neurological challenges. These disorders stem from mutations in the SLC6A1 gene,…

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Offer Research Path

By Kevin McEntee / July 23, 2024 / Comments Off on Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Offer Research Path

Please join SLC6A1 Connect in welcoming the following blog post from Sam Patel, PhD.  Dr. Patel is a seasoned stem cell biologist with expertise in developing novel approaches to discover therapeutics for rare conditions, like SLC6A1 gene disorder.  We are hopeful that reprogramming adult cells into Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (IPSCs) will provide a steady source…