Natcher Conference Center - Conference Room E1/E2

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common movement disorder, affecting millions of people around the world. For the past decade, major advances have been made in identifying genetic factors associated with PD. The following biochemical, cell biology, and animal modeling studies of these genetic mutations have begun to reveal the molecular cascades leading to the dysfunction of nigrostriatal system in PD and define therapeutic targets for potential treatment. However, by the time the patient develops symptoms of PD, the majority of dopaminergic terminals in the nigrostriatal system has already been loss. Thus, much of the recent research focus has also been on identifying early markers of PD, which may then be applied to detect the disease in an early or even pre-symptomatic phase. These two lines of research share the ultimate aim of PD research, which is to gain an understanding of pathogenesis of PD and to find more effective treatment or even prevention of the disease.

Program:

Dopaminergic and Cardiac Sympathetic Neuroimaging for Identifying Early Markers of PD
David S. Goldstein, NINDS

The Genetics of PD
Andrew Singleton, NIA

Novel Genetically Engineered Mouse Models of PD
Dr. Huaibin Cai, NIA

Gaucher Disease and the Synucleinopathies
Dr. Ellen Sidransky, NHGRI