Understanding the Molecular and Cellular Basis of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) represents a massive health and financial burden for society with no cure. PD is characterized by the loss of dopamine-producing (dopaminergic) neurons in a region in the brain called midbrain that is involved in the control of motor functions. The biological mechanisms and the cell types that trigger the the loss of dopaminergic nerve cells are not fully understood. A better understanding of the biological mechanisms and cell interactions that contribute to the disease will facilitate the development of effective therapeutics agents for PD. In this project, we are planning to use patient-specific stem cells (Personalized Medicine) to build disease-like 3D mini-brains in a dish, that are composed of different types of cells that can fully capture the properties and cellular interactions of patient’s brain cells. We will harness this stem-cell-based technology to study the mechanisms and cellular interactions that underlie the onset and progression of PD. In my poster I’ll present my recent findings in this project We hope to gain knowledge that facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies to cure this devastating disorder.