The focus of my research is to gain an understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind familial Parkinson’s disease (PD). Mutations of the alpha-synuclein protein (encoded by SNCA) have been shown to cause an autosomal dominant form of PD. We have generated human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from patients with familial PD.  Using CRISPR technology we intend to correct the disease causing mutation in patient hiPSCs.  Furthermore we will introduce this mutation into control hiPSC lines. This approach allows us to look for disease related phenotypes in a genetically stable background, after differentiation into specialised functional cell types.