Grants offered to identify mitochondrial biomarkers

News

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 24 August 2017

Prep: Cook: Serves:

The Michael J Fox Foundation is offering one- to two-year grants for any Parkinson’s research that will develop or improve tools to identify mitochondrial biomarkers for the disease.

The goal of the initiative is to assist in the discovery of mitochondrial biomarkers to assess Parkinson’s diagnosis, patient stratification and disease progression. Any knowledge gained from the study will be applied to human biospecimens – biological material obtained for the purpose of research.

The deadline for submission of pre-proposals is 27 September 2017. Funding will be allocated in May 2018.

Last Month

Next Month

Go Back

Share this story

Comments

Interviews

The road to Copenhagen: The UK Parkinson’s Football Team

We talk to team captain Charlie Appleyard

Parkinson’s in the news: September

This month’s Parkinson’s stories from around the globe

“When coronavirus broke out in Europe, Italy was the hardest hit nation”

We talk to the founder of the European Parkinson Therapy Centre in Italy

Ireland survey aims to uncover link between pesticides and Parkinson’s disease

Previous studies of vineyard and agricultural workers in France and the US highlight potential correlations between pesticide exposure and Parkinson’s risk. Now, a team is conducting the first study in Ireland to investigate this potential link. Last week, researchers from University College Cork, Ireland, took to the country’s National Ploughing Championships – a three-day country show, agricultural trade fair and ploughing competition. Their goal? To “gather information on the environmental risks associated with Parkinson’s in Ireland”, according to Professor Aideen Sullivan of the university’s Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience. “Our survey is a broad-stroke approach. We are going to ask people what categories of pesticides they’ve used,” said Sullivan’s colleague, Dr Lucy Collins-Stack. “We are going into this thinking there may be a stronger link with rural settings rather than towns, but we still want to look at both.” The survey can be completed online.

Is there a link between Parkinson’s disease and blood vessel dysfunction?

Scientists in Slovakia have investigated the link between blood vessel dysfunction and Parkinson’s – and found that dopamine agonists may have an impact. The team studied the function of the endothelium – a membrane which lines the heart and blood vessels and helps control blood fluidity – in 41 people with the condition and 41 people without. Endothelial function was then measured through a parameter that assessed how easily blood could flow through the vessels. The results showed that while more people with Parkinson’s had endothelial dysfunction compared to those without, the difference did not reach statistical significance. However, the researchers noted that the findings suggested “an association between smoking, dopamine agonists, and impaired endothelial function” in those with the condition. Outlining the study’s limitations, the team noted that more research is needed to explore this potential link.

New swab test may help with Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

Researchers at the University of Manchester, UK, have drawn on one woman’s sense of smell to develop a swab test that may be used to detect Parkinson’s. The scientists used the test to analyse sebum (a type of oily substance on the skin) in 79 people with Parkinson’s and a control group of 71 healthy individuals. The team identified more than 4,000 different compounds in the participant samples – including 500 that were unique to those living with the condition. The test was developed with the help of Joy Milne from Perth, Scotland, whose unique sense of smell meant that she noticed a change in her late husband Les’s odour twelve years before he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Speaking to the BBC, Professor Perdita Barran, who led the research, described the test as potentially “transformative” – and said that the team hopes to roll the test out to people in…

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.

Grants offered to identify mitochondrial biomarkers

News

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 24 August 2017

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Interviews

The road to Copenhagen: The UK Parkinson’s Football Team

Global update

Parkinson’s in the news: September

In my country

“When coronavirus broke out in Europe, Italy was the hardest hit nation”

Ireland survey aims to uncover link between pesticides and Parkinson’s disease

Is there a link between Parkinson’s disease and blood vessel dysfunction?

New swab test may help with Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

{title}

Subscribe

Grants offered to identify mitochondrial biomarkers

News

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 24 August 2017

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Related articles

Interviews

The road to Copenhagen: The UK Parkinson’s Football Team

Global update

Parkinson’s in the news: September

In my country

“When coronavirus broke out in Europe, Italy was the hardest hit nation”

Ireland survey aims to uncover link between pesticides and Parkinson’s disease

Is there a link between Parkinson’s disease and blood vessel dysfunction?

New swab test may help with Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

{title}

Subscribe

Sign in