First pilot grant awarded

Our inaugural pilot grant of £25,000 has been awarded to Professor James Hodge at Bristol University. Working alongside Dr Ben Housden from Exeter University, the research team is developing a fruit-fly model to advance understanding of CASK gene disorders.

The project centres on creating flies that can help researchers decode the CASK gene's function. Notably, when these insects lack the functional CASK gene, they display symptoms resembling those observed in humans with CASK-related conditions. The researchers demonstrated that introducing the human CASK gene into affected flies restores normal function — suggesting promising avenues for treatment development.

This research could facilitate the discovery of affordable drug-screening methods and deepen comprehension of how CASK gene mutations cause disease. Professor Hodge has been committed to CASK research since 2003 — this grant recognises his sustained dedication and strengthens our partnership with Bristol.