Parkinson's Disease Society Announces 2010 Innovation Grants

Parkinson's UK (the Parkinson’s Disease Society) is the largest charity funder of Parkinson’s research in the UK. To date, we have invested over £45million into pioneering research. Our goal is to find a cure, and improve life for everyone affected by the condition.

Our research over the next five years

We will continue to support only the highest quality research that tackles every aspect of Parkinson’s. But over the next five years, we will prioritise research in four key areas, identified by leading UK and international researchers as being the major challenges facing Parkinson’s research.

1. Understanding basic Parkinson’s pathology

We need to develop a better understanding of Parkinson’s. It is critical to understand the events and interactions that occur inside nerve cells during the process of cell death.

• Are we using the appropriate cells?
  • Should we use neuroblastoma or primary neuronal cells?
  • Are single cell cultures (i.e. neuronal cells) sufficient, or are cocultures with astrocytes, oligodendrocytes or microglia more appropriate?
• Should we develop induced pluripotent stem cells derived from people with a specific Parkinson gene mutations?
• Can we investigate the “prion” hypothesis of the spread of disease?

2. Developing more relevant animal models

Current in vivo models rely heavily upon toxin-induced cell death, rather than the actual cellular neurodegenerative process.

Can we develop animal models that more accurately mimic human Parkinson’s?

• Exhibit characteristic Parkinson’s pathology
• Show age-related changes
• Display appropriate motor impairment
• Demonstrate changes in peripheral (including neural) tissue

3. Model systems for drug screening

A large number of chemical compound libraries are available for general use. However, we need rapid screening mechanisms to make the most of them.

A number of potential model systems could be explored:

• Nerve cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells
• Drosophila
• C. elegans

These can be genetically engineered to exhibit some of the changes in Parkinson’s and because of their rapid turnover rate, are extremely useful for the initial high throughput screening of drugs.

4. Discovery of biomarkers of disease progression

In order to develop and use treatments that can slow, stop or reverse the process of nerve cell death, we need to be able to identify Parkinson’s at an early stage when these drugs will have maximal impact.

The development of biomarkers is vital to assist in the early diagnosis of the condition. But the variable nature of Parkinson’s means that any single marker is unlikely to be sufficient alone for definitive early detection and diagnosis.

Potential biomarkers may include:

• Physical tests (such as olfaction)
• Biochemical markers (serum, urinary or salivary)
• Imaging techniques (such as ultrasound)

For more information about funding opportunities at the Parkinson's Disease Society please visit: www.parkinsons.org.uk/researchgrants