Neural Tube Defect research challenges

One of the biggest breakthroughs in Neural Tube Defects research was the discovery that Folic Acid supplementation reduces the prevalence of these conditions.

Nonetheless, they continue to affect 1:1,000 pregnancies. So what are the biggest challenges we face in finding new preventative strategies?

In today’s lecture to third year BSc students I asked them to rate some of the challenges we faced according to which they felt are the biggest. Here’s what they came up with.

As we adapt to lecturing in this Covid era we are increasingly needing to use online activities to support university teaching. This activity not only made the students think about research, but have also forced me to think about their answers!