Navigation Links
The Michael J. Fox Foundation Awards $2 Million to Shed Light on Role of LRRK2 and Alpha-Synuclein Genes in Parkinson's Disease
Date:1/15/2008

NEW YORK, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --- The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research today announced approximately $2 million in total funding for seven research studies aiming to advance the ability of the Parkinson's research field, and drug makers, to therapeutically target two genes -- LRRK2 and alpha-synuclein -- that play a major, but still only partially understood, role in Parkinson's disease.

"Critical Challenges is uniquely designed to increase researcher focus on specific research challenges standing in the way of therapeutic progress," said Katie Hood, chief executive officer. "In this round, our research staff canvassed the world's leading PD experts to identify the precise issues holding up LRRK2 and alpha-synuclein drug development. We then structured our funding to incentivize scientists to look for the exact answers that will break down those roadblocks and allow work to move forward with greater impact. As in everything we do, our ultimate goal is to advance scientific solutions that can tangibly improve patients' quality of life."

LRRK2 and alpha-synuclein were selected for study under the first funding round of MJFF's Critical Challenges in PD program following a survey of the field by the Foundation's research staff and advisors. Alpha-synuclein was the first gene associated with PD, and pathological clumping of the protein product of the alpha-synuclein gene within cells of the brain represents a nearly universal thread linking multiple forms of Parkinson's. The association of the LRRK2 gene to PD was discovered more recently but appears to contribute to a substantial number of Parkinson's cases -- as high as 40 percent in some ethnic groups.

Investigators awarded under the alpha-synuclein challenge will look at various ways in which disease-related modifications of alpha-synuclein might lead to toxic effects. Hilal Lashuel, PhD, of Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne in Switzerland a
'/>"/>

SOURCE Michael J. Fox Foundation
Copyright©2008 PR Newswire.
All rights reserved

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology technology :

1. Pharmasset Appoints Michael Rogers as Chief Development Officer
2. MacroChem Announces Michael Zasloff, M.D., Ph.D. Joins Companys Scientific Advisory Board
3. Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Announces Appointment of Michael P. Tarnok to Board of Directors
4. Genstar Names Michael Hurt to Its Strategic Advisory Board
5. Emisphere Technologies, Inc. Appoints Michael R. Garone chief financial officer
6. Michael Troullis Appointed Chief Financial Officer of Quintiles Transnational Corp.
7. Avon Foundation Announces 2008 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Schedule
8. A&G Pharmaceutical Receives $870,000 Grant from Avon Foundation to Advance Innovative Blood Diagnostic Test for Early Detection of Breast Cancer
9. eHealth Initiative Foundation Launches Collaborative Research Effort to Improve Drug Safety
10. Genasense(R) Triple Combination Therapy in Advanced Melanoma Presented at Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium
11. John Timberlake, Valeritas Executive Vice President and General Manager, Named Executive of the Year by the Diabetes Foundation

Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:12/2/2009)...re/ -- S*BIO Pte Ltd today announced data presenta... The American Society of Hematology 51st Annual Me...ll be presented on the clinical results from the P...ts safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic/pharma...rom 100 to 600 mg. These doses were administered o...
(Date:12/2/2009)...Newswire-Asia/ -- Simcere Pharmaceutical Group,("S...g pharmaceutical company,specializing in the devel...neric and proprietary pharmaceuticals in China, to...uded in China,s National Drug Reimbursement List,(...uman Resources and Social,Security on November 30,...
(Date:12/2/2009)...re-Asia/ -- The world is going through,extraordina...s part of many,businesses and industries. It turns...immune to the economic downturn, because illness d...t of the difficult times this year, the pharmaceut...amp;D center in Shanghai, the largest of,its kind ...
(Date:12/2/2009)...e/ -- According to the National Institute of Healt... with diabetes already have some stage of diabetic... retina caused by leaky blood vessels, is a major ...one of the most feared diabetic complications. In... diabetes for 10 years or more will experience som...
Breaking Biology Technology:S*BIO Novel Oral JAK2 Inhibitor SB1518 Demonstrates Safety and Tolerability in Phase 1 Studies for the Treatment of Myeloproliferative and Other Hematological Disorders 2S*BIO Novel Oral JAK2 Inhibitor SB1518 Demonstrates Safety and Tolerability in Phase 1 Studies for the Treatment of Myeloproliferative and Other Hematological Disorders 3S*BIO Novel Oral JAK2 Inhibitor SB1518 Demonstrates Safety and Tolerability in Phase 1 Studies for the Treatment of Myeloproliferative and Other Hematological Disorders 4S*BIO Novel Oral JAK2 Inhibitor SB1518 Demonstrates Safety and Tolerability in Phase 1 Studies for the Treatment of Myeloproliferative and Other Hematological Disorders 5Simcere Announces 105 Drugs Included in China's National Drug Reimbursement List 2Simcere Announces 105 Drugs Included in China's National Drug Reimbursement List 3Pharma and Biotech Leaders to Converge in China at Asia Pharma R&D Leaders 2010 Summit 2Pharma and Biotech Leaders to Converge in China at Asia Pharma R&D Leaders 2010 Summit 3Study Shows Pine Bark Improves Microcirculation, Retinal Swelling And Visual Acuity In Early Diabetic Retinopathy 2Study Shows Pine Bark Improves Microcirculation, Retinal Swelling And Visual Acuity In Early Diabetic Retinopathy 3Study Shows Pine Bark Improves Microcirculation, Retinal Swelling And Visual Acuity In Early Diabetic Retinopathy 4
...to courtesy of Silicon Graphics Inc. Chippewa Va...the world,s fastest supercomputer in about 129 day...sin, plant that pulled the project together. SGI a... for NASA last week. , ,The supercomputer, named...t year, runs on SGIs Altix 3700 systems and 10,2...
...quently wish for more hours in the day so I can ge... a year, that wish comes true. We "fall back" into...e do with the extra hour? , ,I decided to clean my...re time. In the process, I found several odds and ...e they are, in no particular order, except for the...
...dison, Wis. NimbleGen , a Madison biotech firm ...ins of the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ...ture capital. , ,The company has raised a total of...t Palay, chairman of NimbleGens board, expects the...ies in micro-array technology. He said there is a ...
Other Biology Technology:SGIs Wisconsin branch builds fastest supercomputer yet in four months 2Music, mail, databases and printing from a technologists desk 2Music, mail, databases and printing from a technologists desk 3Wisconsin company with SARS diagnostic role lands $13 million investment 2
(Date:12/2/2009)...status did not prompt people participating in a lo...creening program to pick up their cigarettes again...r Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention , a journa... The December issue contains a special focus on to... concern in the lung screening community that reas...
(Date:12/2/2009)...ter researchers have figured out how stem cells in...ble to resist radiation therapy. And using a drug ...ancer stem cells, they were able to kill many more...iment. , The work builds off earlier research w...cts of radiation much better than other cancer cel...
(Date:12/2/2009)...tification of substances involved in the Jekyll-an... bacteria into killers that cause "coral bleaching...nce & Technology , a semi-monthly journal. , Dan...y has destroyed up to 30 percent of the world,s co...o slow or stop the damage. One known culprit is an...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Repeat negative CT scan for lung cancer does not encourage ex-smokers to resume the habit 2Discovery makes brain tumor cells more responsive to radiation 2Social support buffers adolescent depression after terrorist attacks 3A Ben Gurion University 52133 1Social support buffers adolescent depression after terrorist attacks 3A Ben Gurion University 52133 2Iowa State University researchers develop process for surgical genetic changes 9291 1Iowa State University researchers develop process for surgical genetic changes 9291 2Iowa State University researchers develop process for surgical genetic changes 9291 3Reveal the enemy 9290 1
...tists will embark this week from Punta Arenas, Chi...amid the high winds and waves of the Southern Ocea...nts to explain how huge fluxes of climate-affectin...versa. , The cruise, which departs Feb. 28, sh...nhouse gas carbon dioxide moves between the ocean ...
...release is available in Spanish . , A research...o produce the most useful material to date to elim...ne, organic solvents widely used in the hydrocarbo.... The world-wide problem of the exposure to aromat...n benzene, which is considered to be harmful to he...
...CRUZ, CA--Seabird colonies on islands are highly v...d-nesting birds to be easy prey. But the ecologica...bird nesting colonies, according to a new study by...a Cruz. , The study, which will be published the...the National Academy of Sciences, has already help...
Other Biology News:Voyage to Southern Ocean aims to study air-sea fluxes of greenhouse gases 2Creation of a new material capable of eliminating pollutants by the hydrocarbon industry 2Rats on islands disrupt ecosystems from land to sea, researchers find 2Rats on islands disrupt ecosystems from land to sea, researchers find 3
Human SLPI ELISA Kit from R&D Systems
Rabbit Anti-Human OLFM1 Polyclonal Antibody, Unconjugated from Proteintech Group, Inc.
GELase 50X Reaction Buffer from EPICENTRE Biotechnologies
Axl, phospho ELISA development Kit, DuoSet IC Economy Pack from R&D Systems
Biology Products: