New funding for Parkinson’s disease research

Gyorgy Szabadkai (UCL Cell & Developmental Biology) 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. 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.