Current research: what causes Parkinson's?
We are currently funding 37 research projects worth over
£5million exploring the causes of
Parkinson's.
We need to know how and why certain nerve cells in the
brain in Parkinson's die in order to find a cure.
In Parkinson's there is a slow loss of nerve cells in the brain,
with symptoms only emerging when around 70% of cells have been
lost.
But we still don't know how or why these nerve cells die.
Featured research projects
The Monument Discovery Award
The Monument
Discovery Award is our biggest ever research grant at £5million
over 5 years.
The project ultimately aims to find a cure for Parkinson's - to
develop treatments that allow everyone to live free from the
symptoms of the condition.
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Investigating changes in the alpha-synuclein protein and its
potential role in Parkinson's
Dr Mark Cooper, Institute of Neurology, UCL
- £208,751 over 3 years
- Start date: tbc
This project will investigate how changes in the alpha-synuclein
protein influence the development of Parkinson's.
An abnormal form of the alpha-synuclein protein is found at high
levels inside the Lewy bodies, or sticky protein clumps, which clog
up the nerve cells affected in Parkinson's.
The abnormal alpha-synuclein has an extra phosphate molecule
tag. This seems to change the way cells handle dopamine, the
chemical messenger lost in the Parkinson's brain.
Pinpointing how these changes in alpha-synuclein affect how the
nerve cells work will promote the development of new and better
treatments that can help the nerve cells affected in Parkinson's to
work better for longer.
Developing and using a new worm model for Parkinson's
Dr Anton Gartner, University of Dundee
- £196,322 over 3 years
- Start date: February 2010
Dr Gartner's project will use the worm C. elegans to
study key genes that cause cells to die. Understanding how genes
damage or protect nerve cells may provide crucial clues to what
happens when nerve cells die in Parkinson's.
Worms share many genes with humans that are known to be involved
in Parkinson's, and provide a simple and cheap system to study how
nerve cells work.
The research team will focus on investigating how the LRRK2 gene
works, which is overactive in many people with Parkinson's. They
will also use the worms to test potential new drugs designed to
combat the effects of the LRKK2 gene.
News story: Worms may
hold clue to inherited Parkinson's
The role of inflammation in the development of Parkinson's
Dr Matthew Wood, University of Oxford
- £116,958 over 2 years
- Start date: January 2010
Inflammatory changes inside the brain may be involved in the
death of nerve cells in Parkinson's. Inflammation gives rise to
harmful molecules, known as free radicals, that can damage cells
through the process of oxidative stress.
This project will investigate how the free radical nitric oxide,
which is generated through inflammation, is involved in the
development of Parkinson's.
Ultimately, this research could identify potential new
treatments that combat inflammation in the Parkinson's brain.
Using yeast cells to examine the role of the DJ-1 gene
Dr Flaviano Giorgini, University of Leicester
- £242,759 over 3 years
- Start date: November 2009
We know that the DJ-1 gene is involved in some inherited forms
of Parkinson's. But we don't understand how mutations in this gene
affect the nerve cells in Parkinson's.
This study will explore how healthy and faulty versions of DJ-1
gene affect yeast cells, which will provide crucial clues to how
Parkinson's develops.
Yeast models are incredibly useful for studying genes. They
provide researchers with a simple system in which to study how
individual genes work.
This research may also uncover new mechanisms by which drugs
could halt or even reverse the progression of Parkinson's.
How does the DJ-1 gene protect nerve cells from damage?
Dr Gyorgy Szabadkai, University College London
- £262,892 over 3 years
- Start date: November 2009
DJ-1 is one of several genes known to be linked to Parkinson's.
Research has shown that healthy DJ-1 has a protective role and can
prevent nerve cells from dying. However, if the DJ-1 gene is faulty
and doesn't work properly, it can lead to the onset of
Parkinson's.
This project will examine how DJ-1 safeguards against the toxic
chemicals that can build up inside nerve cells. These harmful
chemicals damage cells in a process known as oxidative stress which
can lead to cell death.
By looking in detail at how DJ-1 behaves, this study may
identify key new drug targets that could protect against cell
death.
News story: New funding
for research into the genetic causes of Parkinson's
Producing an online catalogue of genetic changes in
Parkinson's
Professor John Hardy at the Institute of Neurology,
UCL
- £163,668 over 3 years
- Start date: October 2009
Genetic studies are revealing new genes that affect the risk of
developing Parkinson's. These 'risk' genes may not always change
the way proteins inside cells work, but rather they change the
amount of proteins that are actually produced inside cells.
Professor Hardy's team aims to produce a catalogue which will
provide information about all of the different genetic changes that
have been found inside the brain area affected in Parkinson's.
This comprehensive directory of genetic changes will be
available online for researchers throughout the world studying
genes associated with Parkinson's - providing a
How do changes in the PINK1 gene lead to nerve cell death?
Professor Dario Alessi, University of Dundee
- £84,945 over 3 years
- Start date: October 2009
Studying families with inherited forms of Parkinson's have shown
that changes in the PINK1 gene increase the risk of developing the
condition. However, how and why this happens is unclear.
Understanding how changes in the PINK1 gene make nerve cells
more vulnerable will help develop new treatments that tackle the
problems directly.
In this project the research team will compare cells that have
either healthy or abnormal PINK1 to create a map of all the
activities that PINK1 is involved in.
Looking at post-mortem brain tissue from people with Parkinson's
with and without PINK1 mutations will help confirm their findings
and to build a picture of why nerve cells die in Parkinson's.
A zebrafish model of early onset Parkinson's
Dr Oliver Bandmann, University of Sheffield
- £239,593 over 3 years
- Start date: June 2009
Changes or mutations in the parkin gene are linked to some forms
of early-onset Parkinson's. But we don't know how these changes in
parkin lead to the death of nerve cells in Parkinson's.
In this study the parkin gene will be removed from zebrafish, to
create a new animal model for Parkinson's. Looking at the
difference that this makes to the nerve cells and how they work,
will help us understand how defects in the human parkin gene result
in Parkinson's.
Ultimately, it may be possible to use these zebrafish to screen
for new drugs that could slow down the progression of
Parkinson's.
News story: New research
using zebrafish may hold clue to early-onset Parkinson's
Investigating changes in dopamine release in Parkinson's
Dr Bazbek Davletov, University of Cambridge
- £99,946 over 2 years
- Start date: June 2009
Dopamine, a chemical that relays messages between nerve cells,
is depleted in the brains of people with Parkinson's. The protein
alpha-synuclein, a key player in Parkinson's, is thought to be
involved in controlling the release of dopamine.
This project will investigate how alpha-synuclein controls
dopamine release from nerve cells, and if this changes in the early
stages of Parkinson's.
The study aims to shed new light on why the dopamine-releasing
nerve cells stop working properly in Parkinson's. This will help us
develop drugs that can slow, halt or reverse the progression of the
condition.
News story: New funding
for University of Cambridge to shed light on why nerve cells
die
Why are dopamine-producing nerve cells vulnerable in
Parkinson's?
Dr Siew-Lan Ang, National Institute Medical Research,
London
- £189,017.03 over 3 years
- Start date: September 2009
In Parkinson's, the dopamine-producing nerve cells found in the
region of the brain called the substantia nigra die. Dopamine is a
chemical inside the brain involved in relaying messages that
instruct the body to move.
However we do not understand why these particular nerve cells in
this specific brain area are so susceptible in Parkinson's.
This project will study the early stages of the development of
the dopamine-producing nerve cells. This may provide vital clues to
why nerve cells in the substantia nigra are most vulnerable to
damage as they get older.
This project will shed light upon why such a specific population
of cells is susceptible to the damage that causes Parkinson's -
leading to the development of drugs that can protect these
vulnerable cells and slow the progression of the condition.
How do mutations in the PINK1 gene cause Parkinson's?
Dr Andrey Y Abramov, Institute of
Neurology
- £298,345 over 3 years
- Start date: May 2008
The PINK1 gene, one of 5 associated with inherited
Parkinson's, was first discovered in 2004 by scientists we
funded.
This study, at the Institute of Neurology, is looking at how
these mutations in the PINK1 gene affects nerve cells, making
them vulnerable and more likely to die.
News story: New funding for research on role of PINK1
gene
Investigating a new mouse model for Parkinson's
Dr Lynn Bedford, University of Nottingham
- £441,964 over 5 years
- Start date: January 2008
Dr Bedford is using a new mouse model to investigate the changes
that occur inside the brain in Parkinson's. Better models that
truly reflect Parkinson’s are urgently needed for developing new
treatments that can stop, slow or reverse the progression of the
condition.
This new mouse model was created by the team by altering
specific genes to produce some of the main features of
Parkinson's.
In particular, the team will be investigating the formation of
Lewy bodies, clumps of sticky proteins that clog up the nerve cells
affected by Parkinson's.
This will help scientists find ways to stop this happening, and
ultimately prevent the spread of Lewy bodies through the brain as
the condition progresses.
Investigating the inner-workings of nerve cells in Parkinson's
Dr Philip Robinson, St James's University
Hospital, Leeds
- £157,704 over 3 years
- Start date: October 2007
We know that the nerve cells affected in Parkinson's contain too
much of a protein called alpha-synuclein. They also have problems
with their mitochondria, the tiny batteries responsible for
producing the essential energy cells need to do their work.
This project is investigating how alpha-synuclein and
mitochondria interact inside the nerve cells affected by
Parkinson's.
Understanding more about what is happening deep inside the brain
in Parkinson's will help us develop more effective treatments that
target the root cause of the condition.
How you can help
We are closer than ever to finding a cure, but we need your
help.
Our research is totally dependent on voluntary donations.
One
donated brain can be used in up to 50 research studies. Help us
make 2010 a breakthrough year by signing up.
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