UC Berkeley dean’s research inspires emerging treatment for rare bone disease

Left: Richard Harland (Photo credit Johnny Gan Chong); Right: noggin gene mutations (Image credit: (Image: Brunet, McMahon, McMahon, and Harland / Science) Learn about research from the lab of Dean of Biological Sciences, Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development Richard Harland.

Excerpt from Berkeley College of Letters & Science article: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced on September 17 that it had completed a phase 3 trial of a drug for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). The achievement traces back to Richard Harland’s mid-1990s discovery of a key gene and protein, illustrating how fundamental research can ultimately drive major medical breakthroughs. Read the full article here.

Photo credits: Left: Richard Harland (Johnny Gan Chong); Right: Noggin gene mutations. Top: Typical mouse embryo skeletons. Bottom: Skeletal abnormalities due to noggin gene mutations. (Brunet, McMahon, McMahon, and Harland / Science)