What Does Walking Across the GW Bridge Have to do with APBD Research?
By Harriet Saxe, APBDRF Board of Directors
June 18, 2020
Dr. Orhan Akman receives Foundation support to study APBD
In a recent conversation with Orhan Akman, PhD — one of our research grant recipients — at Columbia University, I learned that he had been walking across New York City’s landmark George Washington Bridge in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic to continue his work. I did a double take at the picture his words created in my mind.
COVID-19 has affected every one of us in different ways. For the APBD community, it threatened the continuity of over four years of research that our Foundation has been funding at Columbia University.
Dr. Akman’s research focuses on exploring and altering the genetic footprint of APBD. His commitment in this unprecedented situation touched me deeply.