Expanding clinical actionability in GLUT1 Deficiency through a blood-based biomarker

GLUT1DS. Disease-causing variants in SLC2A1 are associated with a rare genetic neurometabolic condition known as GLUT1 Deficiency Syndrome (GLUT1DS). While GLUT1DS is typically diagnosed through molecular genetic testing, the diagnostic strategy in some cases includes lumbar puncture to measure cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glucose to confirm the diagnosis. In a recent study, Mochel and collaborators performed a multicenter validation study of a blood-based biomarker for GLUT1DS. Here is a brief review on their publication and the utility of molecular biomarkers in GLUT1DS and genetic epilepsies more broadly.

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The future of biomarker development in rare disease

CNS Biomarkers. In the last two days, our team attended the Workshop for Multimodal Biomarkers in CNS Disorders held at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Washington, DC. This conference provided a needed review of the current state of multimodal biomarker discovery and development. While most of the speakers focused on more common CNS disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and neuropsychiatric disorders, there stands to be important lessons that can be translated into the rare disease field. Here is what we learned about the clinical utility of biomarkers and their potential as we move towards precision medicine in rare disease.

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