Fox Foundation offers $2m for ‘game-changing’ Parkinson’s breakthrough

PD in Practice

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 7 July 2016

Prep: Cook: Serves:

The Michael J Fox Foundation is offering US$2 million to the first researcher to develop a tracer for alpha-synuclein – the protein that is a strong pathological indicator of Parkinson’s disease.

Imaging of alpha-synuclein could become a useful biomarker of the presence of the disease and possibly even a measure of disease progression.

In a statement issued on its website, the Foundation said: “The ability to image alpha-synuclein deposition in the brain would be a game-changing achievement for the Parkinson’s disease field.

“With this prize, the Foundation seeks to attract research teams and accelerate momentum to speed the development of such a tracer.”

The prize is open to all academic and industry researchers and contestants may already be funded by the MJFF or not. There is no deadline and the $2 million prize will be awarded to the first contestant who submits “compelling evidence of a viable selective tracer and agrees to its widespread use”.

To see the full submission requirements, the judging panel and how to apply, visit the website here

Learn more about alpha-synuclein in this free podcast: ‘Stopping disease progression’

Last Month

Next Month

Go Back

Share this story

Comments

Resources & Tools

Drug repurposing: testing a drug approved for one disease for its efficacy in another

“A fundamental change in medical culture” is needed

Patient group wants professionals trained in shared decision-making

‘Engagement platform’ lets carers log their work and receive rewards

Recognising and rewarding the work of carers via mobile platform

Can awakening dormant neurons reverse Parkinson’s motor symptoms?

Reawakening dormant neurons could help reverse Parkinson’s motor symptoms, researchers in South Korea have found. While Parkinson’s is typically believed to be caused by neuronal death, a new study – published in ‘Current Biology’ journal – suggests that dormant neurons could be another cause. After completing an animal test – which treated the subjects with two compounds that block dopamine-producing neurons from becoming dormant – the researchers found these neurons to be “awakened”, allowing them to resume dopamine production. The researchers hope that this will lead to a disease-modifying treatment, especially for people in the early stages of Parkinson’s. Hoon Ryu, a senior author of the study and researcher at KIST Brain Science Institute, South Korea, said: “This research refutes the common belief that there is no disease-modifying treatment for Parkinson’s due to its basis on neuronal cell death.”

Parkinson’s could be present from birth, study finds

Parkinson’s may be present from birth in younger people with the condition, new research has found. The study – conducted by Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, US, and published in ‘Nature Medicine’ journal – used induced stem cells from people with young-onset Parkinson’s, to grow dopamine-producing neurons and observe them for early warning signs of the condition. An abnormal pile-up of protein was found during the neurons’ development, including alpha-synuclein; which occurs in Parkinson’s. The scientists conjecture that Parkinson’s symptoms appear when the pile-up continues over 20 or 30 years. The team also found that the drug PEP005 – currently used against skin precancers – could help treat the condition. Michele Tagliati, vice chair and professor at Cedars-Sinai’s Department of Neurology and the study’s co-author, said: “This exciting new research provides hope that one day we may be able to detect and take early action to prevent this disease in at-risk individuals.”…

Testing saliva can help diagnose Parkinson’s, study finds

A saliva test carried out by doctors may be able to both diagnose Parkinson’s and detect the severity of the condition, according to a recent study published in medical journal ‘Neurological Sciences’. Several indicators of the development of Parkinson’s, including problems in the production of energy, can be easily detected in saliva. As part of the study, carried out by a team from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, saliva samples were collected from 76 patients living with Parkinson’s, and 37 participants with good general health. They found that the saliva of those with Parkinson’s reflected evidence of alteration in neurotransmitters – chemical messengers that allow nerve cells to communicate. The researchers said the test “may highlight the characteristic changes in metabolite levels during the onset of Parkinson’s”.

All fields required

First name*
Last name*
Email address*
Enter Email Confirm Email
Country of residence*
About me*
- I have Parkinson's disease
- I am a partner / carer / family / friend of someone who has Parkinson's
- I am a healthcare professional with an interest in Parkinson's
- I work for a Parkinson's disease organisation
- Other
CAPTCHA
*
- By proceeding you agree to our
Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Fox Foundation offers $2m for ‘game-changing’ Parkinson’s breakthrough

PD in Practice

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 7 July 2016

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Resources & Tools

Drug repurposing: testing a drug approved for one disease for its efficacy in another

Europe

“A fundamental change in medical culture” is needed

Carers' Corner

‘Engagement platform’ lets carers log their work and receive rewards

Can awakening dormant neurons reverse Parkinson’s motor symptoms?

Parkinson’s could be present from birth, study finds

Testing saliva can help diagnose Parkinson’s, study finds

{title}

Subscribe

Fox Foundation offers $2m for ‘game-changing’ Parkinson’s breakthrough

PD in Practice

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 7 July 2016

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Related articles

Resources & Tools

Drug repurposing: testing a drug approved for one disease for its efficacy in another

Europe

“A fundamental change in medical culture” is needed

Carers' Corner

‘Engagement platform’ lets carers log their work and receive rewards

Can awakening dormant neurons reverse Parkinson’s motor symptoms?

Parkinson’s could be present from birth, study finds

Testing saliva can help diagnose Parkinson’s, study finds

{title}

Subscribe

Sign in