Basic Research
Research at the Parkinson’s Institute involves a multidisciplinary and interactive approach toward the overall goal of understanding the natural history of Parkinson’s disease (as well as related neurological disorders), finding its cause and developing better treatments. Specific lines of inquiry into the cause, cure and prevention of the disease are more effectively pursued through (i) the coordinated efforts of investigators with different scientific background and expertise (e.g. molecular biology, pharmacology and toxicology), and (ii) the use of state-of-the-art experimental tools at the molecular, cellular and whole organism levels. The close interaction between our scientists and clinicians provides a direct mechanism for translational laboratory-to-patient research.
Examples of current research endeavors at the Parkinson’s Institute include investigations into environmental, genetic and age-related risk factors for Parkinson’s disease, mechanisms of selective dopaminergic cell injury, the role of a-synuclein in disease pathogenesis, mechanisms of dyskinesias and new neuroprotective strategies (e.g. agents that counteract a-synuclein fibrillation, treatment with nicotine or nicotinic receptor agonists, and stimulation of endogenous stem cells).
.