My PD Story

2026 Impact Award

Studying Axolotls to Unlock New Regenerative Therapies for Parkinson’s

In Parkinson’s disease (PD), dopamine neurons in the brain progressively break down, leading to worsening symptoms over time. Unlike other cells in the body, the human brain is unable to regrow replacements for these neurons after they degenerate. Replacing lost dopamine neurons is a major disease-modifying treatment goal for Parkinson’s disease. Prayag Murawala, PhD, recipient of a Parkinson’s Foundation Impact Award, believes that the regenerative properties of the axolotl salamander could hold the key to future restorative PD therapies.

“This research could provide a blueprint for developing therapies that stimulate the human brain to regenerate dopamine neurons, offering a path toward treatments that restore brain function rather than simply managing symptoms.” – Dr. Murawala

Axolotls are vertebrate animals that can uniquely regrow body parts like limbs, heart tissue and even brain tissue after injury. They also share biological similarities to humans that are important for research, including having dopamine neurons in the brain that govern movement. 

Dr. Murawala and his team at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, have developed a sophisticated research environment to study the healing abilities of axolotls. 

For this study, they will induce an injury in the axolotl brain that simulates PD dopamine neuron degeneration. As regeneration begins, Dr. Murawala will track the activity of stem-cell-like ependymoglial cells (EGCs) in the brain, which give rise to the restored neurons. Through this process, his team hopes to discover the molecular clues that underlie their regenerative ability.

Additionally, Dr. Murawala will perform whole-brain scans of the axolotls at the start and end of the experiment to see if the regenerated neurons properly rewire across the brain. He will also observe the axolotls’ behavior during recovery to see if the regeneration restores any movement impairments caused by the injury.

This study will reveal the biological processes that trigger and guide the axolotl EGCs to create new and effective dopamine neurons in the brain after injury. Understanding the cellular mechanisms behind neuron regeneration in axolotls could unlock new PD therapies centered on restoring lost dopamine neurons in the brain.

“This award recognizes the potential of regenerative biology to contribute new ideas to a disease that urgently needs therapies capable of restoring lost neurons rather than only treating symptoms,” said Dr. Murawala. “I hope this project will serve as the foundation for a long-term research program focused on developing regenerative approaches that could ultimately benefit people living with Parkinson’s disease.”

Meet more Parkinson’s researchers! Explore our My PD Stories featuring PD researchers.