Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) have helped scientists discover innumerable secrets about humanity. Over 1,000 types of these flies are living at the University of Malta’s (UM) Motor Neuron Disease (MND) Laboratory. Each type or ‘stock’ is unique, and UM researchers have generated the majority of stocks through genetic engineering over the last 11 years. Flies need constant care, fly food needs to be freshly prepared, and stocks must be monitored to avoid overpopulation and sudden death. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced universities worldwide to close campuses, leaving researchers to work and teach from home. But research activities, especially the care of living organisms, have to continue even in the face of a shutdown.
Our lab is using flies to model amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in humans. Through flies, scientists worldwide have identified how genetic defects can cause neuromuscular problems in patients with ALS – the most common motor neuron disease in adults. Considered as superheroes in neuroscience research, flies share an astonishing degree of genetic and biological similarity with humans. Genetically engineering them involves tweaking the fly’s DNA or inserting pieces of human DNA to create flies that mimic the human disease more accurately.
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