Every year hundreds of patients face uncertainty when healthcare providers are unable to discover the cause for their symptoms.
The Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) is a research study backed by the National Institutes of Health that seeks to provide answers for patients and families affected by these mysterious conditions.
Model Organisms
The Model Organisms Screening Center (MOSC) for the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) is composed of two Centers that use fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), nematode worm (Caenorhabditis elegans) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) genetics and biology to tackle rare and undiagnosed diseases.
Publications

The patient was diagnosed with a heart defect (tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia) before she was born, which was repaired after birth. She was also found to have problems with the connection between her brain and spinal cord (Chiari I malformation) and the spinal cord itself (tethered cord). She … read more
Since birth, the patient has had visual impairment and repetitive, uncontrolled eye movements (nystagmus). A brain MRI was normal and ophthalmology was unable to find an underlying cause. The patient also has low muscle tone (hypotonia) and walks with his legs spaced far apart (broad-based gait). Developmentally, the patient has … read more

The patient was meeting his developmental milestones until age 2.5 when he started losing skills. He was previously able to walk, but now has trouble sitting and holding his head upright. He has lost his fine motor skills and keeps his hands in a fist position. His parents report that … read more
