Mitochondria News
- Professor Salvador Moncada knighted for services to science
- CfMR scientists awarded major strategic funding in Parkinson's Disease
- Dr Nick Lane awarded UCL Provost’s Venture Research Fellowship
- Prof John Hardy elected FRS
- Parkinson's disease research funding awarded
- Dr Josef Kittler awarded Lister Institute Research Prize
- Dr Derek Hausenloy awarded BHF Senior Clinical Fellowship
- Dr Nick Lane on Royal Society Science Book Prize shortlist
- Mitochondrial Symposium funding awarded to Dr Takehiro Yasukawa by JSPS
- Muscular Dystrophy funding awarded to Profs Duchen and Muntoni
- Energy revolution key to complex life
- Nick Lane wins 2010 Royal Society Prize for Science Books
- Britton Chance dies November 16th 2010
- Michelangelo Campanella wins BBSRC New Investigator funding
- UCL Mitochondria project wins 2011 SET for Britain Award
- Parkinson's disease research funding awarded
- Josef Kittler awarded ERC starting grant 'Fuelling synapses'
- Professors Michael Duchen and Kenneth Smith awarded grant from the MS society
- Dr Josef Kittler co-organising 'Mitochondrial trafficking and function in neuronal health and disease' in Boston
If you are at UCL and interested in working with the CfMR, please email Michael Duchen
Parkinson's disease research funding awarded
9 July 2009
Dr Gyorgy Szabadkai has been awarded £270,000 from the Parkinson's Disease Society (PDS) for research into a gene – named PARK7 – which is linked to certain forms of Parkinson’s disease.
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Parkinson's disease occurs when particular nerve cells
die in the brain, making it increasingly difficult to relay messages
between the parts that control movement. PARK7 is one of several genes
known to be linked to a rare inherited form of Parkinson's. Previous
research has shown that the gene, when functioning properly, can protect
nerve cells from dying. However, a faulty form of PARK7 can spark off a process called oxidative stress. This leads to the build-up of toxic chemicals inside the nerve cells that can make them sick and eventually die. The research will investigate how changes to PARK7 can influence the development of oxidative stress in different parts of the nerve cells. |
Dr Szabadkai commented: “Our research will help us understand better how genes such as PARK7 can help to protect the nerve cells and may help us to screen for effective new Parkinson's drugs.”
Dr Kieran Breen, Director of Research and Development at the Parkinson's Disease Society adds: “It is vital that we fund innovative research projects such as this which get to the heart of why nerve cells die. If we can find drugs that increase the activity of this gene, we may be able to stop the progression of Parkinson's disease at an early stage.”
Source: UCL News
