MEMBERS' OPEN FORUM: for rapid-fire posting of your questions and comments.

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Responses:
Seeking member input on new methods and protocol resources.
Michael T Rogan
19 Jul 2009 03:07 PM EST
We are planning a way to organize methodological issues on PD Online - technical questions, problem solving, and members' views on best practices in the lab.  What kind of PD-related information ... 
Question about the MPTP model
Jyothi K Mallajosyula, Isis
26 Aug 2009 06:03 PM EST
With much gene expression data and nigrostriatal pathology standardized, what event or expression change should be regarded as the most robust and relevant marker for Parkinson like disease status in ... 
Responses: 2
What is the best phenotype to examine in MPTP treated mice
Richard J Smeyne, St. Jude
27 Aug 2009 04:56 PM EST
The question raised in important when considering any model of a human disease.  In this case, the question regards MPTP.  While MPTP can model some of the aspects of PD, the progression of ... 
The MPTP and Methamphetamine models of PD
Giuseppe Battaglia, NEUROMED
4 Sep 2009 08:54 AM EST
The MPTP model of experimental parkinsonism is a very useful tool to study the pathophysiology of toxicological parkinsonism and is a very good model to test compounds able to counteract the toxic ... 
Recent MJFF Awardee Meeting Discussion Topics
Brian K. Fiske, MJFF
11 Sep 2009 01:35 PM EST
We recently held one of our frequent MJFF awardee meetings to hear about progress on a number of projects related to validating interesting new biological targets and research models for PD. As is ... 
Responses: 2
How do we develop "two-hit models?"
Todd Sherer, MJFF
11 Sep 2009 04:55 PM EST
I am very interested in ideas that have been discussed around how to develop "two-hit" models for PD.  While genetic models have been demonstrated to be extremely useful for certain experiments ... 
When is a target validated?
Mark Frasier, MJFF
18 Sep 2009 11:49 AM EST
I am interested in the last bullet point raised from the MJFF meeting. It is an interesting question related to the MJFF  Target Validation program. MJFF has funded work on several intriguing ... 
microPET high-throughput in vivo assay for imaging agents
Michael T Rogan
5 Nov 2009 05:33 PM EST
The identification of novel imaging agents for disease-related processes is an urgent need in PD research and therapeutic development. Karen Gagnon and collaborators report on PNAS a practical ... 
Is the Time Right for Gene Therapy?
Jamie L Eberling, MJFF
6 Nov 2009 05:22 PM EST
A story in the New York Times today (After Setbacks, Small Successes for Gene Therapy by Gina Kolata) suggests a possible resurgence for gene therapy after a series of setbacks, including the deaths ... 
Responses: 1
Navigating the Treacherous Waters of Translational Research
Jamie L Eberling, MJFF
11 Nov 2009 01:04 PM EST
This is a critical time for the futures of both neurotrophic factor therapy and gene therapy for PD.  Controversy and challenges lie ahead and the fate of both of these approaches, or the ... 
Treating depression in PD: Recent studies and ongoing clinical trials
Irene Richard, Rochester
12 Nov 2009 07:33 PM EST
Depression is common in PD and antidepressant medications are frequently prescribed. However, until recently there has been little evidence upon which to base treatment decisions.  In recent ... 
Polo Like Kinases as therapeutic targets in Parkinson’s disease and related synucleinopathies
Hilal A Lashuel, EPFL
17 Nov 2009 10:29 AM EST
Increasing evidence suggests that phosphorylation may play an important role in the oligomerization and fibrillogenesis (Fujiwara et al., 2002), Lewy body formation (Fujiwara et al., 2002; Anderson ... 
Impact of species differences in therapeutic development
Michael T Rogan
19 Nov 2009 02:52 PM EST
At an internal MJFF meeting today a panel of invited scientists discussed several topics, including the following: Moving from rodent to non-human primate models with potential therapeutic compounds ... 
Alpha-synuclein phosphorylation in health and synucleinopathies – who’s to blame and is it only to blame?
Poul H Jensen, Aarhus
17 Dec 2009 07:03 AM EST
Alpha-synuclein phosphorylation in health and synucleinopathies – who’s to blame and is it only to blame?  ... 
Dopamine agonists influence learning and striatal reward prediction errors in PD patients with compulsive disorders
Michael J Frank, Brown
19 Jan 2010 01:36 AM EST
In a subset of PD patients, dopamine replacement therapy can induce impulsive behaviors such as compulsive shopping and pathological gambling (Dagher and Robbins, 2009). A growing body of ... 
GDNF vs Neurturin: Is one better than the other?
Jamie L Eberling, MJFF
2 Feb 2010 02:13 PM EST
Both GDNF and neurturin (NTN) have been in Phase II clinical trials for PD and NTN is currently being tested in a Phase I/II trial. Both are members of the GDNF family of ligands and have shown ... 
Responses: 2
A Lentiviral System for Inducible Intracerebroventricular Delivery
Jamie L Eberling, MJFF
9 Feb 2010 01:49 PM EST
The delivery of synthetic peptides or secreted recombinant proteins to the CNS is often accomplished by intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration. This method is especially problematic for studies ... 
Pharmacokinetics and bioactivity of glial cell line-derived factor (GDNF) and neurturin (NTN) infused into the rat brain
Piotr Hadaczek, UCSF
9 Feb 2010 03:25 PM EST
Our paper "Pharmacokinetics and bioactivity of glial cell line-derived factor (GDNF) and neurturin (NTN) infused into the rat brain" has just been accepted for publication in Neuropharmacology. It ... 
Responses: 1
iPSC patents headed for a showdown?
Brian K. Fiske, MJFF
10 Feb 2010 07:41 PM EST
A recent blog over at ScienceInsider (Landmark Pluripotent Patent Has Stem Cell Researchers Nervous) discusses the recent awarding of a patent to MIT researcher Rudolph Jaenisch and MGH researcher ... 
Responses: 1
Re: iPSC patents headed for a showdown?
James Beck, PDF
17 Feb 2010 10:50 AM EST
Commercially, it seems there are two possible outcomes once the paper patent to be issued to Jaenisch is reviewed by the IP experts: the patent will be licensed (an apparent business goal of Fate) or ... 
Pharmacokinetics and bioactivity of GDNF and NTN infused into the rat brain
Piotr Hadaczek, UCSF
19 Feb 2010 05:26 PM EST
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