We’ve awarded over £1 million to 5 high priority research projects
As the leading funder of Parkinson’s research in Europe, we’re pleased to announce that we’re supporting new projects that hope to bring us closer to better treatments to transform the lives of those affected by Parkinson’s.
Picture above from left: Three of our newly funded researchers, Dr Emma Clayton, Dr Jennifer Davies, and Professor Ian Collinson at our meeting for Parkinson's UK researchers
Since 1969, we’ve committed over £130m to Parkinson’s research. Today, we continue to support essential research projects that we know matter to the Parkinson’s community. In our latest round of funding, we’ve awarded a total of £1.06m to 5 projects.
Mark Reilly was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 40. He volunteers as a lay grant co-ordinator to help us decide what research to fund. He shared:
“It was great to be part of the latest round of funding decisions and I was inspired by the incredible breadth of research being proposed. One stand-out project focused on freezing in Parkinson’s, which was particularly well-received. Seeing such a range of innovative ideas gives me real hope that new treatments, and ultimately a cure, are on the horizon.”
New research to understand freezing in Parkinson’s
Described as feeling stuck to the floor and unable to take a step forward, freezing of gait can reduce a person’s independence and quality of life. Currently, little is known about why it occurs.
We’re funding Dr Jennifer Davies and her team at Cardiff University to better understand what happens in the brain before and during a freeze. Using a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), magnetic fields will stimulate brain cells in an area of the brain that’s involved in generating movements, to see if these cells are functioning differently in people who experience freezing. The findings hope to uncover how brain activity is altered in people with Parkinson’s during a freeze, to help develop better treatments.
Jen said: “I'm really excited about the methods that we're going to use in the project. We’re one of the few places in the world to be able to use this brain stimulation during walking, and have worked hard over the last few years to develop a setup here at Cardiff that really is one-of-a-kind in the world.
"The technology is reliable, robust and ready to go. The funding from Parkinson’s UK will see Parkinson’s being one of the first conditions we are trialling this new, exciting technology in. It has the potential to really benefit the Parkinson’s community.”
Funding from cause to cure
Finding better solutions to manage symptoms of Parkinson’s is critical. But we’re also committed to supporting research that will unlock new treatments. This includes exploring the causes of Parkinson’s, and identifying effective ways to diagnose the conditions faster and earlier.
Read a summary of our other newly funded research projects below.
Using brain imaging to detect Parkinson’s early
Lead researcher: Dr Johannes Klein, University of Oxford
Cost: £320,978
Summary: Changes in the brain start years before Parkinson’s symptoms become obvious. This study hopes to develop new ways to spot these changes, detecting Parkinson’s earlier to transform Parkinson's research, diagnosis and care. The research team will assess brain scans from over 1000 people who either have a high risk of developing Parkinson’s, have early Parkinson’s or don’t have Parkinson’s. They will also compare memory and movement tests, hoping to identify patterns that show who might develop Parkinson's and identify early clues in symptoms.
Taking steps towards a blood test for Parkinson’s
Lead researcher: Professor Christopher Hunter, University of Cambridge
Cost: £48,075
Summary: There’s currently no single or definitive test that can diagnose Parkinson’s. Researchers are hoping to address this challenge by taking steps towards a possible blood test for Parkinson’s. The study aims to create a molecule that can successfully ‘stick’ to alpha-synuclein, a small protein strongly linked to Parkinson’s. The molecule should ‘glow’ brightly, making it possible to detect alpha-synuclein clumps in the blood. In the future, this could lead to the development of a blood test which can detect the protein and diagnose Parkinson’s.
Communication between brain cells in Parkinson’s
Lead researcher: Dr Emma Clayton, King’s College London
Cost: £129,288
Summary: Previous research has suggested that communication between brain cells doesn’t work as well as it should do in Parkinson’s. This study will explore how the site of communication between brain cells, called synapses, are affected in the earliest stages of Parkinson’s. They’ll use cutting-edge technology to study molecules inside synapses to understand what might go wrong and how it impacts their function. The findings could pave the way to identify the synapse as a potential target for new drug treatments.
How is energy production affected by Parkinson’s?
Lead researcher: Professor Ian Collinson, University of Bristol
Cost: £330,903
Summary: All cells in the body need energy to function. This energy is produced by small structures called mitochondria, which are found in all cells. In Parkinson’s, mitochondria can stop working properly, which causes brain cells to die. This study aims to understand what happens to the mitochondria in Parkinson’s and learn how to keep them healthy in the brain. The findings will help understand how this damage might be prevented or even reversed in people with Parkinson's.
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Our research grants are available to both clinical and lab-based Parkinson's researchers and support every stage of their career.
For more than 50 years, we’ve been at the cutting edge of Parkinson’s research. From improving diagnostics to driving forward race equality in research.