The impact my father’s Parkinson’s disease (PD) diagnosis had on my family was severe and palpable. I’m an only child, so it’s just my mom, dad and me. Shortly after Dad was told he had Parkinson’s in 2018, there was an aggressive narrowing of their independence in the span of about 90 days. My mom became the primary caregiver to my dad, and luckily, I only live about an hour away, so since I’m fairly close I can be there at almost a moment’s notice to help when needed.
It was hard on all of us — the uncertainty and unknowns related to my dad’s diagnosis, but also the change in the family dynamic. My mom is a boss, she was a manager for Bank of America and had an interesting and awesome career. At home, though, she relied on my dad to make the house run. They experienced a role reversal, and it took us all some time to find a new path forward.
I work in Nasdaq’s San Francisco, CA, office. About six months before my dad was diagnosed with PD, my boss at the time, Jeff Thomas, whose father also has PD, organized a company happy hour to support the Parkinson’s Foundation Moving Day San Francisco event. In that first year, as we all familiarized ourselves with Parkinson’s, Jeff became a great resource and comfort since he had lived through what I was experiencing. He encouraged me to check out the Foundation’s resources and helped me get involved in Moving Day.
Getting involved with the Parkinson’s Foundation felt like a way to do something for my mom. Living an hour away, I couldn’t be there every day to help take care of my dad, but raising awareness and money for Moving Day, and learning about resources from the Parkinson’s Foundation, gave my mom and I something to connect over outside of worrying for my dad.
Now, I am the California Chapter Advisory Board President and was the 2022 corporate chair for Moving Day San Francisco. I like participating in Moving Day because of the energy it brings to the office and the PD community. We’re just asking people to come out for a fun Saturday morning, bring your family and walk for a phenomenal cause. It’s an easy entry point to raise awareness and get more people involved.
I really appreciate the Parkinson’s Foundation mission and their commitment to helping people live well with PD. Things like the hospital safety kits and other resources provided to people with PD and their care partners and families make a huge difference.
The community I have met through the Parkinson’s Foundation and Moving Day San Francisco is made up of really exceptional people who have been so helpful. For anyone who is navigating a new Parkinson’s diagnosis or looking for resources and guidance, get involved with the Foundation and in your local community’s events. There are other people out there who have walked the same road, and making those connections is incredibly helpful.
My mom, Stepheny, would always say, “If you are creative, you will never be bored.” Her imagination and optimism stayed intact, even after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in 2007. She was a talented visual artist, and her diverse portfolio ranges in scale, subject and medium.
Her advice to everyone was always to accentuate the positive. Despite her health challenges, including a tremor impacting her right side, she managed to heed her own advice and continued pursuing her passions. She would spend afternoons in art class, learning new techniques like woodblock printmaking and collage. She inspired me to look at everything with a creative lens, from my work in real estate development to television, film production and photography.
Shortly after my mom passed in January 2022, I was presented with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of the producing team for A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical. As my first foray into Broadway, this musical was a natural fit, especially since I knew Neil was involved.
I have fond memories of listening to Neil’s greatest hits on vinyl with my mom — a true fan. I was also aware of Neil’s personal battle with Parkinson’s disease, and I knew this musical could be a platform to spread awareness for PD.
In honor of Parkinson’s Awareness Month, I am thrilled to announce that the producing team of A Beautiful Noise is raising money for the Parkinson’s Foundation. I am incredibly grateful to the other producers, investors, company members and theatergoers who have already contributed to this important cause.
I try to be like my mom every day. She exuded kindness, optimism, compassion and creativity. She will always be my inspiration. I know she would be very proud of everything I have accomplished.
Please support the Parkinson's Foundation in honor of my mom, Neil Diamond and the 90,000 people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year.
How a Movement Disorders Fellow is Building Her Career Around Parkinson’s Care and Research
Ekhlas Assaedi, MD, is passionate about movement disorders, specifically Parkinson’s disease (PD), and providing patient-centered care that leads to improved quality of life for people living with the disease.
After attending medical school at Taibah University, Saudi Arabia, Dr. Assaedi completed her neurology residency at the University of Alberta, Canada. She is currently in the first year of a two-year Institutional Movement Disorder (IMDS) Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic, where she is working to further develop her skills in research methodology and treat patients using the latest approaches, like deep brain stimulation (DBS).
Dr. Assaedi is the first recipient of the Parkinson's Foundation Wesley G. McCain MDS Fellowship in Honor of Dr. Lucien Cote. We spoke to Dr. Assaedi about her exciting work in the PD field, and why she believes it is important to foster young doctors who have both clinical expertise and research exposure.
What led you to Parkinson’s research?
I knew I was interested in building a career in movement disorders in my second year of neurology residency. I’ll always be grateful to the movement disorders staff at the University of Alberta for inspiring that interest. We had such an active group of movement disorders specialists who took a great interest in residents’ education.
“There is so much work to do in this field, so much to learn and so many unanswered questions.”
Parkinson’s disease and idiopathic dystonia stuck out to me as the epitome of why movement disorders are interesting and important to study because of the heterogeneity of their genetic and presumed pathophysiological mechanisms, which translates to varied clinical presentations in different patients. There is so much work to do in this field, so much to learn and so many unanswered questions.
Can you tell us about your current work at the Cleveland Clinic?
I’m currently in the first year of my two-year clinical fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence. This first year is spent learning about the clinical aspects of care for Parkinson’s patients and other movement disorder patients. So, I’m learning all the basics of diagnosis, management and really applying what I learned in residency in day-to-day care. In my second year, I will tailor my experience to focus on my interests, which is a combination of deep brain stimulation work as well as clinical research.
What interests you about deep brain stimulation, and are you currently participating in DBS programming?
One of my first exposures to movement disorders was attending DBS programming clinics. I remember in one of my first encounters with a person with Parkinson’s who had DBS, I was impressed by the impact it had on managing his symptoms. That particular person was a violinist who missed playing but was unable to because of his tremors. After DBS, he was able to play again, which greatly improved his quality of life.
Currently, in my fellowship, I participate in pre-surgical DBS evaluation clinics, where I assess patients who are interested in this kind of treatment and evaluate their candidacy for DBS. I also meet with the multidisciplinary team involved in DBS surgery, which conducts regular DBS patient management meetings to make collaborative decisions about candidacy and care. I’ve also learned the basics of programming for various conditions, including essential tremors, Parkinsonism and dystonia. In my second year, I’m hoping to learn more about intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring.
How do you see your work and research improving the lives of people with PD?
Right now, I am trying to learn as much as I can and I’m working to define a research need I’d like to focus on. My hope is that by the end of my fellowship, I will have mastered more of the art of patient-centric care, including mastering the different therapeutic options and working with patients to identify their goals, concerns and preferences to help them choose treatment options that best address their needs. Patient encounters are my greatest motivator. I want to focus on research that is meaningful and will lead to better outcomes for my patients.
Why is it important to support young clinicians/researchers?
Looking back at the start of my studies, I appreciate how important it is for movement disorder specialists to be involved in medical students’ and residents’ education. There’s a growing need for movement disorder specialists, especially with the aging population and the growing incidence of Parkinson’s disease.
We need all of the young neurologists we can find, both well-qualified general neurologists and more movement disorders specialists. I hope that one day I can inspire other young learners, like my professors inspired me to enter this field.
How has this fellowship impacted your career and your plans?
This fellowship is an incredible opportunity. I feel so fortunate for the excellent training I’m receiving at the Cleveland Clinic, and to learn from so many experienced clinicians and researchers, while utilizing all the technological resources available to me here. My fellowship has already allowed me to meet so many different patients, giving me a wider exposure to different presentations of Parkinson’s.
Organizations like the Parkinson’s Foundation are providing invaluable services to both people with Parkinson’s and medical providers. The landscape of Parkinson’s care and research would look completely different without the Foundation’s efforts. Their support of residents and fellows, like me, is an important service to the PD community and I’m so grateful.
Take 6 Minutes to Help Raise Parkinson’s Awareness
April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, a time when the Parkinson’s community comes together to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Our new incidence study found that every 6 minutes, someone will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the U.S.
This month, we want everyone to #Take6forPD — take 6 minutes to help us raise Parkinson’s awareness. There are many ways you can raise awareness, such as participating in research, finding expert care or educating your community about PD.
Read on to learn how you can #Take6forPD:
#Take6forPD to Advance Research
In the U.S., 90,000 people will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease this year. Take 6 minutes to help us advance PD researchaimed to improve treatments and find a cure.
Finding the right information and resources early in the Parkinson’s journey can make life better for people with PD. Take 6 minutes to feel empowered through educational resources.
Join our e-mail list. Be the first to know what’s happening in Parkinson’s research and care.
Share our PD infographic on Facebook or Instagram. Help us raise awareness that 90,000 people are diagnosed with PD every year in the U.S.
Register for an educational or local event. Connect with the PD community, either in-person or virtually.
Subscribe or listen to our podcast.Substantial Matters: Life and Science of Parkinson’s highlights the treatments, techniques and research that can help you live a better life now.
Complete our 60 Miles in April Facebook Challenge. Join hundreds of others in taking the challenge to bike, run or walk 60 miles this month to raise awareness for Parkinson’s.
6 Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech Drugs in Research & Development
“The Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech initiative is a new, much needed way the Parkinson’s Foundation can directly make targeted investments that can have potentially great impact for people with Parkinson’s today,” said James Beck, PhD, Parkinson’s Foundation Chief Scientific Officer.
Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech is the international drug discovery and development program and joint venture/partnership of the Parkinson’s UK and the Parkinson’s Foundation. This groundbreaking global effort is working to spur the development of life-changing new Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatments in years, not decades.
“These investments can exponentially advance the opportunities for new Parkinson’s medications,” said Dr. Beck. “With the support of our community, this new initiative balances our portfolio of research investments. We can now broaden our research to support every type of research from basic science to clinical studies.”
Today, Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech funds 11 new medications and therapies already in research and development stages. Here are the six new drug development programs that energize us:
Stages of Research
Scientific Discovery: Researchers identify a problem and work on solutions.
In Development: Teams turn promising discoveries into potential new treatments.
Clinical trials: New treatments are carefully tested in study participants.
1. Project Galaxy: Addressing Inflammation in Parkinson’s
Stage: In Development
This project aims to find a way to stop harmful inflammation from damaging brain cells. Inflammation is a process that is vital for defending the body against harm from things like infection, injuries and toxins. If inflammation is chronically active when it shouldn’t be — which might be the case in PD — it can cause harm to healthy cells.
Key Takeaway: This project looks to uncover a way to reduce inflammation in the brain, in the hope to protect brain cells. This could pave the way for the design of a drug to help slow or stop the condition.
2. Project Top Hat: Exploring the potential of ondansetron for treating hallucinations in people with PD or Lewy body dementia
Stage: Clinical Trial
It is estimated that around 75% of people with Parkinson’s experience hallucinations during the course of PD. However, current treatment options are limited. The drug used to alleviate nausea after chemotherapy called ondansetron (brand name Zofran) is being tested as a treatment for visual hallucinations in people with PD or Lewy body dementia.
Key Takeaway: This study is a phase 2 clinical trial with 306 people with PD or Lewy body dementia enrolled. With safety data available from ondansetron’s current use in treating sickness, positive results from this study could see this repurposed medication quickly progress to become an available treatment.
3. Project Sheffield: Optimizing molecules that restore the power plants of brain cells
Stage: In Development
University of Sheffield researchers are developing molecules that can boost the function of mitochondria (the power plants of brain cells). Over the next 12 months, the team will develop and test the drug-like molecules in cells from people with PD. If successful, the molecules will then move forward into testing, before moving into clinical trials in people with Parkinson’s.
Key Takeaway: This research takes important steps toward creating a drug that can protect dopamine-producing brain cells and slow the progression of PD.
4. Project Pharmaxis: New treatment aims to relieve PD-like symptoms and target inflammation to slow onset
Stage: Clinical Trial
Inflammation is vital for defending the body against harm from things like infection and toxins. Researchers believe that inflammation may be linked to the causes and progression of Parkinson’s. Pharmaxis is investigating whether a drug called PXS-4728 can reduce inflammation in the early stages of Parkinson’s. This study will enroll 40 people who experience the sleep disorder known as isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). As many as 70% of people with iRBD go on to develop Parkinson’s.
Key Takeaway: The hope is this drug might be able to slow the onset of Parkinson’s symptoms in this group of people that are at a high risk of developing the condition. This could help find a way to the slow the progression of Parkinson’s.
5. Project NRG: Targeting the power plants of brain cells to slow the progression of Parkinson’s (I-1903)
Stage: In Development
NRG Therapeutics Ltd is investigating ways to boost the functioning of mitochondria in Parkinson’s. Mitochondria (the power plants of the cell) play an important role in both sporadic and inherited forms of Parkinson’s. The aim of this project is to identify new molecules that can enter the brain and support the mitochondria.
Key Takeaway: If successful, these protective molecules could provide a safe and effective new treatment that will protect brain cells, slow the progression of Parkinson’s and extend quality of life. In 2022, NRG secured additional funding to progress toward clinical trial.
6. Project Eurofins: Creating new drugs to improve symptoms and slow Parkinson’s
Stage: In Development
Eurofins, a leading contract research company in the UK, is working to create molecules that can increase activity of a selection of genes. Dialing up the activity of these genes has the potential to increase dopamine production and boost the production of protective proteins to slow or halt the damage and loss of precious brain cells.
Key Takeaway: If successful, this could lay the foundation for research into new treatments that could not only improve Parkinson’s symptoms, but also slow, stop or even reverse the underlying condition.
Parkinson’s Foundation community fundraisers raised a record-breaking $8.3 million to advance Parkinson’s disease (PD) research, access to care and life-changing resources in 2022.
“Each of the 15,905 people with Parkinson’s, family members and friends who helped raise funds in 2022 brought passion and enthusiasm to the entire PD community,” said Kayln Henkel,
Parkinson’s Foundation Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer.
Amanda Hosts Meaningful Parkinson’s Revolution for Her Dad
“When my dad was first diagnosed, the unknown was the biggest struggle. We worked so hard to make this a big fundraiser — a simple, fun thing for people to join, and it means so much to the people Parkinson’s affects directly.”
Jim Helps Make First-Ever Moving Day Memphis a Success
“Since I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I’ve developed a whole new group of friends and found supportive people I can talk to any time. Moving Day is a great way to spend time with people in our community.”
High School Senior Kaden Raises $31,000 for PD Research
“I chose this fundraiser because I wanted to learn more about what my uncle was going through and raise money to help people like him living with Parkinson’s, and to support research for a cure. I never thought a T-shirt could raise this much awareness, and I’m happy I could raise this much money for the Foundation.”
“While volunteering at Moving Day packet pick-up, I met someone who was diagnosed a month ago and wasn’t sure where to turn. We were able to introduce him and his wife to other people his age who have Parkinson’s, and I could just see the relief they felt meeting people who understood what they were going through. Those connections are so important and seeing them happen is my favorite part of Moving Day.”
Episode 146: Parkinson’s Disease in the Black Community
An early Parkinson’s diagnosis is the first step to getting Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms under control and living well with Parkinson’s. Getting a PD diagnosis is also one of the first obstacles many people in the Black PD community experience.
Research has shown racial disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s – finding that Black people with PD are diagnosed at a later disease stage than white people and are less likely to be diagnosed compared to other racial and ethnic groups. These differences may be due to Black patients being historically excluded from research and to a range of health disparities, which cause them to systemically experience decreased access to resources and care due to social, economic and environmental disadvantages.
Working with specialists who understand and treat Parkinson’s can help you better manage your symptoms and reduce complications. Since people in the Black community are often less likely to see a PD specialist, awareness of PD in Black communities is essential.
In this episode for Black History Month, we speak with a woman who has been very involved in raising awareness of PD among the Black community. Since her diagnosis, Denise Coley has become engaged in PD organizations. She served on the Parkinson’s Foundation’s People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council, and she is currently the Chair of the Mission and Outreach Committee of the California Parkinson’s Foundation Advisory Council.
Denise B. Coley is the Founder of Enable Your Vision, a firm that provides supplier diversity consulting to drive economic vitality for diverse businesses, corporations, and the communities in which they reside.
Denise has served on national and international boards throughout her career. She is a Parkinson’s disease advocate focused on increasing PD awareness and resources to under-engaged and remote global communities.
She served on the Parkinson's Foundation People with Parkinson's Advisory Council and is a member of the Parkinson's Foundation Research Advocates. Denise is an Advisory Board member of the Parkinson’s Foundation, CA Region Council, and serves as the Mission and Outreach Chair. Denise serves on the World Parkinson Coalition, Engaging People with PD in Clinical Research committee and a member of the PD Avengers, Wellness Committee.
Together with her husband, Bernard, they co-chair a special interest group focused on bringing Black perspectives to PD research through an outreach initiative to increase PD awareness and resources in under-engaged communities.
In this Neuro Talk, Parkinson's Foundation Chief Scientific Officer James Beck, PhD, is joined by Assistant Professor of Neurology at Morehouse School of Medicine, Chantale Branson, MD. Dr. Beck and Dr. Branson highlight how PD GENEration, our global genetics study, is working to reach the Black and African American community through a partnership with Morehouse.
Partnering with Morehouse School of Medicine to Diversify Genetic Data
Chantale Branson, MD, is the first-ever movement disorders specialist — a neurologist with specialized training — to work at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. In addition to treating and helping people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), she is committed to improving the health disparities that Black and African American individuals face in the PD community.
Under Dr. Branson’s direction, Morehouse is the first historically Black institution of medicine to become a PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson’s Disease research site. Every research site works alongside the Parkinson’s Foundation to offer genetic testing and counseling to people with PD, in English or Spanish, at no cost.
“We have a very diverse group of people who are participating,” Dr. Branson said. “We want to encourage more community members to take part in the study so they can improve their disease management, learn more about potential implications for their family, be connected with relevant PD trials and impact the future development of improved treatments — for themselves and future generations.”
Pioneering Change
To date, Morehouse has enrolled the most Black and African American participants for PD GENEration, which is on its way to reaching its 1,000 participant goal for this demographic.
The global genetics initiative is designed to be inclusive and accessible to populations of focus, which are groups of people in need of increased access to care, resources and research efforts. A common misconception surrounding Parkinson’s is that it only impacts older white men. Black and African American people with Parkinson’s are often:
Diagnosed at a lower rate than white people with the disease.
Diagnosed later in disease progression, once symptoms considerably impact day-to-day living.
Dr. Branson has dedicated her career to helping improve these statistics for the Black community over time. “At Morehouse, we work to provide that missing connection between having a provider or physician who represents you, who looks like you, to participate and be involved in your care,” she said.
Before Morehouse, Dr. Branson tirelessly worked to develop the first movement disorders clinic at Grady Hospital — the largest public hospital in Georgia and the tenth largest in the U.S. that provides care to all, including those without healthcare insurance and those with incomes below the federal poverty level.
Acknowledging History to Create Change
Today there are numerous regulations in place set to ensure clinical trials follow ethical practices, but this was not always the case. “Due to the historical issues and in regard to race in the United States, research has not been very common within the community, particularly within different diseases such as the Parkinson’s disease and neurological disorders,” said Dr. Branson.
The notorious Tuskegee study that was reported nearly 50 years ago, where researchers withheld detrimental treatments from hundreds of Black men in Alabama for decades, is still top of mind when it comes to distrust in medicine and research among Black and African Americans.
Dr. Branson also references the story of Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman who died of cervical cancer in 1951. Tissue samples of her cancerous cells were given to a researcher and shared with others without Henrietta’s knowledge or informed consent — a historical lesson that is now a staple of medical ethics. Known today as HeLa cells, these cells remain a vital tool in disease research due to their ability to endure and replicate in the laboratory.
Openly discussing these and the other historical wrongs of medical and research communities, as well as reminding patients of the safeguards in place that help protect them in research studies are cornerstones for how Dr. Branson practices medicine. “Sometimes patients may have preconceived notions or ideas about the clinical research history within the Black community. Having that conversation about understanding the past in order to discuss the present is very important,” said Dr. Branson.
Diversity is Essential to Finding a Cure
Dr. Branson (left) and a student at a Morehouse event.
No two people with Parkinson’s are identical, which is why ensuring diversity and inclusivity in Parkinson’s research is critical to accelerating breakthroughs towards a cure. Diversity in research accelerates the rate that researchers can better understand PD and drives better outcomes for the entire PD community.
Populations of focus — including Black and African Americans, Latinos, women and others — are adversely affected by health disparities, underrepresented in, and historically excluded from, research. These populations also receive less care. Because of this, the full impact of the disease within these communities is still unknown. The shared value of helping populations of focus find quality Parkinson’s care is shared by the Parkinson’s Foundation and Morehouse — and presented itself through PD GENEration.
“The partnership aims to make each unit testing and counseling more accessible for Black and African American people with Parkinson’s disease and by doing so we hope to have a significant impact on improving clinical outcomes and increasing research participation,” said Dr. Branson.
Together, the Parkinson’s Foundation and Morehouse formed a two-way partnership. “Working alongside Morehouse has allowed us to tailor and elevate our reach on a local level and ultimately, help us utilize these successes to further our reach on a national scale,” said Amasi Kumeh Director, Research Partnerships at the Parkinson’s Foundation.
PD GENEration at Work
All PD GENEration participants are provided a genetic test and counseling at no cost. Afterward, participants are encouraged to review their results with their PD doctor.
“Everyone has been very excited to participate in this particular study,” said Dr. Branson. “I want to encourage community members to take part in PD GENEration, so they can improve their disease management, learn more about their family’s risk of Parkinson’s disease potentially be connected to clinical trials and impact the development of improved treatments and medication for generations to come.”
In the coming year, the Parkinson’s Foundation will work alongside Morehouse to create new tools for the Black PD community, and host in-person events for the greater Atlanta area and beyond. “Working with Morehouse allows us to better learn how to reach the black and African American community and help make life better for everyone with Parkinson’s and their family members. We hope to utilize everything we learn through this partnership to make inclusivity and diversity a cornerstone to all Foundation research initiatives,” said Amasi.
New Parkinson’s Foundation Research Center Explores Dopamine Nerve Cell Diversity
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York is the newest Parkinson’s Foundation Research Center. Center Director Zhenyu Yue, PhD, and his research team are investigating the diversity of dopamine nerve cells in the brain and their vulnerability in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Better understanding how different groups of dopamine neurons work, could get us closer to designing more effective therapeutic strategies.
Parkinson’s Foundation Research Centers are medical or academic centers that have the goal of advancing the understanding and treatment of Parkinson's. Each center is currently investigating a minimum of three interconnected PD research studies.
By the time a person is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, more than 60% of their brain’s dopamine nerve cells (neurons) have already died. This loss continues over time. There are no medications that can preserve the existing dopamine neurons or reverse the disease.
The team of Icahn investigators recently completed a study profiling more than 300,000 cells from a specific region in the brain vulnerable in Parkinson’s. They identified different types of dopamine neurons in human brains, and found that people with PD have significantly fewer dopamine neurons and perhaps other types of neurons compared to those without PD. They have analyzed the changes of gene expression in many different cell types, including those dopamine neurons that persist through many years after the onset of movement symptoms.
With Parkinson’s Foundation funding, the team will now investigate the functions of these different types of dopamine neurons — and how they can lead to better treatments.
“It's an opportunity for us to learn how many different cells are adapted to the disease state. We are so thankful to the Parkinson’s Foundation for seeing how the potential of this work can lead to new findings.”
- Dr. Yue
Icahn scientists will do a deeper dive into the diversity of dopamine nerve cells. Being able to uncover the nuances of the different types of these nerve cells is essential for the development of new PD medications. In addition, Dr. Yue’s team is working to find what leads to the loss of dopamine neurons as PD progresses, and identify ways to help neurons survive, which can ultimately lead to better quality of life for people with PD.
Dr. Yue, who has dedicated nearly 20 years of his research career to the study of neurodegenerative diseases, says that several circumstances aligned to draw him into the field, including the diagnosis of a family member with PD.
“I thought I could do something to help people,” Dr. Yue said. His postdoctoral training opened the door to the possibilities of transgenic rodent technology — an approach that allows scientists to study human disease and explore therapies in mice. Icahn researchers will continue using this approach and new technology of single cell profiling to better understand dopamine neuron diversity.
Dr. Yue is a faculty member of the Friedman Brain Institute, under the leadership of Dr. Eric Nestler. He was recruited into the PD research field in 2004 by renowned PD doctor and researcher, C. Warren Olanow, MD (Chairman Emeritus at Mount Sinai School of Medicine’s neurology department). Dr. Olanow encouraged Dr. Yue to investigate Parkinson's. Around the same time, scientists discovered the association between mutations in the LRRK2 gene and Parkinson’s disease. Genetic mutations in the LRRK2 gene play a role in about 1% of all people with PD and 5% of those with a family history. Dr. Yue’s laboratory was among the first to develop an important LRRK2 PD model.
Today, Dr. Yue and his colleagues are studying another gene associated with the risk of Parkinson's. “We have known for a long time that dopaminergic neurons degenerate in Parkinson's disease, but we also found degeneration of a unique neuron population during our initial study,” Dr. Yue said. These neurons are enriched with RIT2 — the product of a gene mutation associated with Parkinson risk. A member of Dr. Yue’s team will explore the relationship between the RIT2 neuron population and PD.
The PD research conducted in Dr. Yue’s lab is essential to explain molecular basis for vulnerability and resilience of human dopamine neurons in PD. Research Centers further the Parkinson’s Foundation mission to advance the understanding and treatment of the disease. Centers receive $2 million each — $500,000 annually over four years — to fund innovative team science. Prestigious Parkinson’s Foundation Research Centers include:
Icahn School of Medicine
Columbia University Medical Center
University of Florida in collaboration with Emory University
University of Michigan in collaboration with The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Yale School of Medicine
Of receiving the Research Center designation, Dr. Yue said: “I feel privileged to have received this award for our Center, as it offers an amazing opportunity to work with a group of outstanding clinical and basic research scientists at Mount Sinai. This award will encourage me to think boldly and attack challenging questions in PD research through collaboration with a diverse team with complementary expertise.”
