Early results from the world's first clinical trial using embryonic stem cells to treat eye conditions suggest the method is safe. This is an important step towards developing stem cells as a treatment.
The winter 2011/12 issue of Progress, our Parkinson's research magazine, is out now and available to download or order.
We've carried out new research into the prevalence of Parkinson's in the UK. It shows that there are currently 127,000 people with Parkinson's - around 7,000 more than previously thought. And the number is set to rise by 28% by 2020.
New research that we've funded at the University of York suggests that problems with mitochondria - the energy-producing batteries that power all our cells - may be to blame for nerve cell death in Parkinson's.
Proteins must fold themselves into the right shape to do their jobs properly inside cells. But proteins misfold in Parkinson's, which means cells can't work properly. Finding ways to stop key proteins misfolding holds great promise for better treatments.
There's a lot to look forward to this year - the London Olympics, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and Parkinson's Awareness Week 2012. Let's build on the momentum of 2011. There's still work to do and we need you.
It's been a busy year for research here at Parkinson's UK. We've invested more than £4million in new projects and our researchers have published exciting new results. Read about some of our highlights.
New research published this week suggests that injections of a molecule produced by a virus may have great potential for developing treatments that can slow, stop or even reverse Parkinson's.
Outcomes of gene therapy trials, including the latest trial of ProSavin, have been mixed. We think gene therapy's a viable option for future Parkinson's treatment though, and these trials are needed to tell us which genes may be best to use.
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Parkinson's (APPG) hosted a research dinner at the House of Lords last night, to discuss what needs to be done to improve the UK research environment to encourage more groundbreaking Parkinson's research.