Michael J. Fox Foundation awards IoN research grant to advance Parkinson's research
9 March 2010
The Michael J.
The
MJFF has announced $3.5 million funding for a consortium of groups from
academia and industry around the world to advance understanding of the
LRRK2 gene, which is a key therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease.
The funding project aims to help accelerate LRRK2 therapeutic
development efforts.
Dr Lewis said "this is a major
international collaborative effort". "Our research is focused on
understanding how mutations in this gene alter protein signaling in
cells and brain tissue from patients with the disease. Our hope is that
by dissecting how mutant LRRK2 interacts with signaling pathways in the
cell, we will be able to narrow down how to target this protein in
disease".
First linked to Parkinson's disease in 2004 by researchers at the UCL Institute of Neurology,
the LRRK2 gene is now believed to be the most common genetic
contributor to the disease. Recent evidence also suggests that genetic
variation in LRRK2 may be involved in the more common, sporadic form of
PD. For these reasons, MJFF has identified LRRK2 as a high-priority
therapeutic target, investing nearly $17 million to date for a broad
and integrated strategy to drive critical LRRK2-related initiatives at
every stage of drug development.
read more >> Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research press release