When a 13-Year-Old Takes on The Fight for a Cure!
January 4, 2021 Elliott and his family after completing their 36-mile bike ride, Double Chai for a Cure. In anticipation of his bar mitzvah [Read More]
Dr. Larry Arky Joins the APBD Research Foundation’s Board of Directors
The APBD Research Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Lawrence (Larry) Arky to its Board of Directors. Dr. Arky is an obstetrics-gynecology (OBGYN) physician with 22 years of experience in private group practice in Manchester, CT. Before [Read More]
Sharing My Daughter’s GSD IV Diagnosis to Help Over 25,000 Individuals Impacted Globally
By Amber Robertson March 21, 2025 Editor’s Note: APBD (the late-onset form of GSD IV) and Andersen Disease (the early-onset form of GSD IV) share the same underlying root cause -- changes in the GBE1 gene which causes deficiency of [Read More]
Foundation Partners with Alex TLC and AGSD-UK to Host a Special Patient Chat Aimed at Engaging the International Community
The APBD Research Foundation is excited to partner with UK-based Alex The Leukodystrophy Charity (Alex TLC) and Association for Glycogen Storage Disease - UK (AGSD-UK) on a special APBD Patient Chat that aims to engage the global community. With this unique Chat offering, we [Read More]
APBD Community Joins Millions of Rare Advocates Around the World for Rare Disease Day
The APBD Research Foundation rallied its community to mark Rare Disease Day on February 28, joining the National Organization for Rare Disorders and rare disease advocates around the world. In the lead-up to the day, we [Read More]
From MS to APBD: One Patient’s Diagnostic Journey
By Jeff Cooper I have always been a performer at heart, starting with theater in school. For 28 years, I was a law professor at Indiana University in Indianapolis, and teaching gave me a captive audience. Beyond the classroom, [Read More]
CZI’s Cycle 1 Rare As One Impact Report Features APBDRF’s Work, Alongside Peers, to Advance Rare Disease Research
Click here to read the Report. Check out pages 16-17 to read APBDRF's key achievements during the grant. We are excited to share the recently released Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) Rare As One Impact Report. [Read More]
Melanie Robinson’s Caregiving Journey Reaches Millions
We are excited to share that Melanie Robinson’s narrative on caregiving for her mother, Ginny, who was diagnosed with APBD in 2018, has been published on KevinMD.com. Read Melanie’s narrative Melanie [Read More]
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Newcastle University Scientists Awarded Million Dollar Bike Ride Grants for APBD Research
The APBD Research Foundation is pleased to share that Felix Nitschke, PhD (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center) and Wyatt Yue, PhD (Newcastle University) are the recipients of rare disease research grants from the University of Pennsylvania’s Million Dollar [Read More]
When a Physician Gets a Rare Disease Diagnosis
By Lawrence Arky, MD December 23, 2024 As an OB/GYN for the past 22 years, I have loved delivering babies, performing surgeries, and having long-term relationships with my patients. Now, I am on the other [Read More]
Dr. Larry Arky’s APBD Journey Reaches Millions
We are excited to share that a powerful narrative from OB/GYN Dr. Larry Arky who was diagnosed with APBD in April of 2023, has been published on KevinMD.com. Read Dr. [Read More]
Q&A with Or Kakhlon, PhD
Dr. Or Kakhlon is an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center and a long-standing member of the APBD Research Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board. He has been an important contributor to APBD research, co-authoring [Read More]
Q&A with Priya Kishnani, MD, MBBS and Rebecca Koch, PhD, RDN, LDN
Dr. Priya Kishnani is the C.L. and Su Chen Professor of Pediatrics and the Chief of the Division of Medical Genetics at Duke University. She also holds the position of Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics and [Read More]
Patient Perspectives Shared with the FDA
The APBD Research Foundation recently participated in the FDA’s Listening Session on “Patient and Care Partner Perspectives on Early Enrollment into Gene Therapy Clinical Trials for Rare Diseases.” Becca Reef, MS, CGC, our Scientific Coordinator, spoke on [Read More]
Navigating a Rare Neurodegenerative Disorder as Mother and Daughter
By Melanie Robinson November 12, 2024 Before her diagnosis, my mom was extremely active and healthy. She loved bird watching, walking, and volunteering at her church and its school. So in 2013, when she began experiencing [Read More]
Foundation on the Road: Advocating for You and Learning from Peers at Key Stakeholder Meetings
On the heels of our recent APBD Scientific & Community Conference, the Foundation team represented our community in person and virtually at key stakeholder convenings across the country. At the cornerstone of our work is the belief in advocacy [Read More]
2024 Virtual APBD Scientific & Community Conference is a Success!
On September 18-19, over 200 attendees joined the 2024 APBD Scientific & Community Conference. The virtual event brought together stakeholders in the APBD community – researchers, health care providers, industry partners, and individuals and family members impacted by APBD [Read More]
APBD Research Foundation Receives Crucial Support from Costello Medical to Build Bridges Between the APBD and GSD IV Communities
The APBD Research Foundation is excited to announce a new collaboration with Costello Medical, Inc., following the Foundation’s successful application to Costello Medical’s pro bono project initiative for Rare Disease organizations. With Costello Medical’s support, we will develop a comprehensive [Read More]
Meet Becca Reef, Our Newest Team Member!
The APBD Research Foundation is delighted to introduce our newest team member, Becca Reef, MS, who has joined us as our part-time Science Coordinator. Growing up just outside of Boston, Massachusetts, Becca was inspired to focus on making the [Read More]
Natural History Study of Hepatic Glycogen Storage Disease type IV and Comparison to Gbe1ys/ys Model
Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern) and the University of Tokyo have recently published an article describing the mechanistic pathways of APBD, Lafora Disease (LD), and RBCK1-Deficiency disease (RD) -- three glycogen storage disorders (GSDs). The study published in the journal Acta Neuropathologica presents novel biochemical and pathological firsts that enhance our understanding of APBD and inform efforts to develop effective therapies for this devastating disease.
Hot Off The Press: Development of the APBD-SQ, a novel patient-reported outcome for health-related quality of life in Adult Polyglucosan Body Disease
Clinicians and researchers from the New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine, in collaboration with the APBD Research Foundation (APBDRF), have published an exciting paper in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences. The study introduces the first disease-specific patient-reported [Read More]