Magnitude Biosciences Podcast Ep 1 | Dr Alex Parker: Screening probiotics to treat ALS with C. elegans

Welcome to the first episode of the Magnitude Biosciences Podcast! In this episode, our CSO, David Weinkove, has a fantastic discussion with Professor Alex Parker from the University of Montreal. Alex shares his journey in neuroscience and his groundbreaking research using C. elegans to study ALS and the potential of probiotics in treating neurodegenerative diseases.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• The role of C. elegans in therapeutic screening.
• How Alex Parker discovered a probiotic strain beneficial for ALS.
• Insights into the mechanisms of action of probiotics, particularly their effects on lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function.
• The transition from findings in C. elegans to clinical trials for ALS treatment.
• Challenges in validating probiotic effects and how C. elegans helps overcome them.
• Methods to maximize data from C. elegans experiments to improve the efficiency of mouse experiments.
• The potential of the probiotic strain HA-114 in understanding and treating ALS.
• Reflections on the ethical considerations and efficiency of using C. elegans in scientific research.