Spina bifida is a birth defect where the baby’s spinal cord fails to close or develop properly. Although the condition is one of the most common birth defects, we do not yet know what causes it. Current studies are limited entirely to mouse models but scientists are making headways. Dr Noraishah Mydin Abdul Aziz, developmental neurobiologist and Dr Dharmendra Ganesan, neurosurgeon, update us on spina bifida research and treatment.