[Image design: Serial/Trash]{style=“font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;”} [A number of genes have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neurone disease, and Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). However, the core biological processes involved in these disorders are extremely difficult to model and this is hampering the effort to develop treatments.

[by Nina Rzechorzek (University of Edinburgh, UK)]{style=“font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;”} [Short-listed for Access to Understanding 2013]{style=“font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;”} []{style=“font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;”} [ [How do nerve cells die?]{style=“font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" ,