The Foundation supports research across basic, translational and clinical science to speed breakthroughs that can lead to the creation of new treatments and a better quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease.
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Previously funded studies appear chronologically, with the most recent appearing first.
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Community Fast Track, 2006Investigating Defects in Mitochondrial Functions, Transport, Fusion/Fission in LRRK2 Pre-clinical ModelsThe study of genetic forms of Parkinson’s disease is important for revealing the mechanisms of pathogenesis, and for future therapeutic developments. LRRK2 is the recently identified gene for Park8...
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Target Validation, 2006Identification of therapeutics that protect against toxins and genes implicated in Parkinson’s disease via the Forkhead-mediated transcription pathway
Loss of dopaminergic neurons is one of the cardinal features of Parkinson’s disease. Medications that can delay or prevent dopaminergic loss could be beneficial in treating PD, but the optimal...
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Cell Line, 2006Improving the Long-term Survival & Functionality of the Transplanted Human Dopaminergic Neurons Through Space Creation Strategy
Dr. Xuejun Wen was awarded a one-year award in 2004 as part of the MJFF Cell Line II program. Dr. Wen proposed to test a novel biodegradable ‘spacer’ device to improve embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived...
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Specification, Patterning, and Maintenance of Midbrain Dopam, 2006Generation of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons from Human ES Cells by Forced Expression of Lmx1a
Drs. Ericson and Perlmann have identified two key transcription factors (Lmx1a and Msx1) that regulate early development of dopamine neurons and can induce nearly 90% ‘authentic’ dopamine neurons when...
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Target Validation, 2005Testing of small molecules in an alpha-synuclein pre-clinical model of Parkinson’s disease
Although Parkinson’s disease is mainly sporadic, at least six genes have been recently linked to familial PD. It is believed that a molecular understanding of the consequences of these gene mutations...
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Target Validation, 2005In vivo Target Validation: RNA Interference to Silence Alpha-Synuclein in Parkinson’s Disease Pre-clinical Models
Recent studies have shown that a protein known as alpha-synuclein plays a central role in the development of Parkinson’s disease. While its normal function in the brain remains unknown, the...
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Our funding programs support basic, translational and clinical research from academia and industry.