Parkinson’s: the search for a cure (video, episode two)
Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing brain disease in the world. This is partially attributable to the ageing population, yet it is becoming apparent that other factors, such as agricultural pesticides, heavy metals, and solvents, may also play a role in this. The challenge for the future is to find a medicine, as none have yet been found. Thankfully, plenty of research is being conducted on the disease. Within the UG, too, various scientists are busy researching Parkinson’s disease.
In this series, we are highlighting a number of researchers who are researching topics including the emergence, cause, identification, and inhibition of the disease from their own different perspectives. All of these researchers find it important to contribute to better understanding, and eventually finding a cure for, this disease.
Joining us in the second episode of this series are Prof. Amalia Dolga, Associate Professor of Molecular Pharmacology, and Prof. Arjan Kortholt, Associate Professor of Cell Biochemistry. With Parkinson’s disease, brain cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine die off. But what causes this? There is evidence to suggest that the problems start in the immune system in the brain. Dolga and Kortholt believe that microglia, immune cells in the brain, could play a role here. They recently received a €250,000 grant from Stichting Parkinson Fonds (the Dutch Parkinson’s fund) to research what goes wrong with the microglia. One problem, however, is that it is nearly impossible to retrieve brain cells from patients. Amalia Dolga has recently developed a new technique to cultivate brain cells from stem cells.
Both labs are also jointly researching the protein LRRK2 because it plays a part in the symptoms of many patients. Kortholt studies the effects of a LRRK2 inhibitor. Most inhibitors that are currently available also affect other organs, such as the kidneys. That causes serious side-effects, making them unsuitable as medicine. Kortholt has discovered inhibitors that, instead of fully inhibiting LRRK2's activity, halve it. These inhibitors do not seem to have any side-effects, which is a hopeful development in the search for a cure.
Last modified: | 05 April 2023 12.01 p.m. |
More news
-
30 May 2023
Godwit migration is learned rather than innate
The timing, route, and destination for godwit migration is learned rather than innate. Researchers at the University of Groningen discovered this in a daring experiment, which has been published in the latest issue of the journal Current Biology.
-
30 May 2023
SNN funding for Avraamidou and Sburlea
The grant is worth EUR 500,000, of which Avraamidou and Sburlea receive around EUR 100,000.
-
26 May 2023
Ben Feringa Impact Award 2023 awarded to George Azzopardi and Guru Swaroop Bennabhaktula
George Azzopardi and Guru Swaroop Bennabhaktula from the Faculty of Science and Engineering have won the Ben Feringa Impact Award 2023 for their project ‘4NSEEK; Forensic Against Sexual Exploitation of Children’. In the ‘students’ category, Nine van...