Dalhousie research uses light to trigger previously unresponsive muscles in mice

In a lab at Dalhousie University’s medical school, a few twitches of a mouse’s leg represent a big step forward for research into motor neuron disease. A team of scientists at Dalhousie’s Medical School and the Brain Repair Centre harnessed the power of genetic manipulation and added the flash of an LED light available at any hardware store to achieve the discovery, which could have ramifications for people living with ALS.