Block of ER-Golgi Vesicular Transport by Alpha-Synuclein as an Underlying Cause of Parkinson's Disease.

Funded Activity Summary

Parkinson's disease, a progressive disorder of the central nervous system, is the most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease. Parkinson's Disease is the direct result of the loss of dopamine producing cells in a portion of the brain called the substantia nigra. The loss of dopamine, a chemical messenger responsible for transmitting signals within the brain causes critical nerve cells in the brain to fire out of control, leaving patients unable to direct or control their movement in a normal manner. A protein, alpha synuclein has been shown to be a central component in Parkinson's disease. Our recent data, in collaboration with international colleagues, has led us to propose a new model for the mechanism by which alpha synuclein may cause Parkinson's disease that involves alpha synuclein interfering with how other proteins are transported within the cell. This proposal comprises a series of biomolecular experiments designed to test this model and provide new insights into therapies for Parkinson's patients.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2007

End Date: 01-01-2009

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $361,091.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Neurological disease | Parkinson's disease | alpha-synuclein | endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex | neurodegenerative and age-related diseases | vesicle transport | yeast genetics

Related Links