Amalia Dolga receives funding from Michael J. Fox Foundation

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an incurable disease and the second most common neurodegenerative disease, affecting millions of people globally. Degeneration of the neuronal network leads to miscommunication between dopaminergic cells located in various brain regions involved in motor coordination. The transport of mitochondria from one cell to another is critical for maintaining cell function and survival. Transferring healthy mitochondria to another cell in which mitochondrial function is impaired may be a way to reverse the effects of neurodegeneration. Prof. Amalia Dolga of the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP) received $500,000 funding from the Michael J. Fox Foundation to study these aspects in Parkinson’s disease. These studies will serve as a starting point for the development of new therapies that target mitochondrial dysfunction.