Human Olfactory Neurosphere-derived Cells: A Novel Cellular Model For Parkinson's Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,126.00
Summary
ParkinsonÍs disease (PD) is an incurable, brain disease that affects 75,000 Australians with great societal cost. We are working on adult stem cells called (hONS) grown from peopleÍs olfactory mucosa (in the nose) as a research tool to study PD. Our project examines differences seen in hONS from people with PD and determines how certain cellular processes impact on the function of these cells. This work will enhance our understanding of the biology of PD and identify new targets for therapies.
SELECTIVE VULNERABILITY IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DISORDERS: MECHANISM OF TAU PATHOLOGY
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,072,324.00
Summary
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias affect 230,000 people in Australia, with numbers expected to grow to 730,000 by 2050. The direct costs for health and residential care alone exceed $6.6 billion per annum. By identifying genes that protect degenerating neurons in the Alzheimer brain, a deeper understanding of the underlying processes will be gained and therapeutic targets will be defined that will assist in developing a therapy for a yet uncurable disease.
Neuronal Toll-like 2 Receptors Contribute To The Spread Of Parkinson's Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$900,010.00
Summary
How the pathological protein in Parkinson’s disease (PD), ?-synuclein, spreads through the brain remains unknown. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) located on microglial cells have been identified as the receptor responsible for the internalization of ?-synuclein by this cell. We have found TLR2 in PD neurons accumulating Lewy pathologies, suggesting that neuronal TLR2 contributes to the neuronal spread of ?-synuclein in PD, a theory requiring further biological evidence prior to therapeutic targeting
Neuroprotection Against Parkinson’s Disease With Remote Photobiomodulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,818.00
Summary
Treating the head of rodents with low-intensity 670nm light protects against Parkinson’s disease (PD), but the large size of the human skull and brain precludes clinical translation of this treatment. We have discovered that the brain is also protected when light is targeted at peripheral tissues (e.g. a limb), overcoming problems of delivery. This project aims to optimise this treatment and better understand how it works, to lay the scientific basis for a clinical trial.
Mitochondrial Quality Control In Parkinson’s Disease: The Molecular Mechanisms Of PINK1 And Parkin
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$558,721.00
Summary
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system in which the underlying cause is mostly unknown. To pave the way to a better understanding of what goes wrong, this study will investigate the function of PINK1 and Parkin, two genes that are mutated in inherited forms of the disease that play important roles in maintaining cellular health. The results of this study will be used in exploring new therapeutic targets for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
Defining The Machinery For Mitochondrial Turnover Governed By The Parkinson’s Disease Proteins PINK1 And Parkin
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$432,987.00
Summary
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system in which the underlying cause is mostly unknown. To pave the way to a better understanding of what goes wrong, this study will investigate the function of PINK1 and Parkin, two proteins that are mutated in inherited forms of the disease that play important roles in maintaining cellular health. The results of this study will be used in exploring new therapeutic targets for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
Understanding And Predicting Freezing Of Gait In Parkinson's Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,580.00
Summary
Freezing of Gait (FOG) affects half of all patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) with episodes causing the feet to feel glued to the ground leading to a significant falls risk. The mechanisms underlying FOG are not well understood and current treatments are usually ineffective. Combining brain wave recording, eye-tracking and functional brain scanning we will identify the changes that precipitate an episode of FOG allowing the development of a non-invasive device to prevent falls.
Closed-loop Deep Brain Stimulation: Optimising Treatment Of Parkinson’s Disease Using Adaptive Stimulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$726,177.00
Summary
Deep brain stimulation is an established therapy for Parkinson's disease when patients’ symptoms cannot be controlled adequately using medication. Although deep brain stimulation usually improves quality of life significantly, existing devices have shortcomings that often result in poor symptom alleviation and/or undesirable side-effects. This project is aimed at developing an innovative system that automatically adjusts stimulation according to the continually fluctuating needs of each patient.
Clarifying The Clinical Application And Mechanisms Of Pedunculopontine Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation For Parkinson’s Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$202,320.00
Summary
Over 64,000 Australians have Parkinson’s disease. Most patients with Parkinson’s disease ultimately develop gait ‘freezing’ and poor balance, which impair quality of life and cause falls. Unfortunately, gait freezing and poor balance often don’t improve with conventional treatments. We are therefore helping to develop a new treatment for these symptoms, which involves implanting a pacemaker into a very deep region in the brain called the “Pedunculopontine Nucleus’.
Copper Pathways Are Altered In Parkinson’s Disease: Implications For Cell Vulnerability
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$341,398.00
Summary
The cause of brain cell death in Parkinson’s disease is unknown but we have shown that copper levels are reduced in the vulnerable brain regions in this disorder. As copper is vital for the normal function of key brain proteins we suggest that reduced copper contributes to cell damage in vulnerable brain regions. This project investigates why brain copper levels are reduced in the Parkinson’s disease brain and the consequences of this change for brain cell function and survival.