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TO HEALTH, NATIONAL, AND SCIENCE EDITORS:
Toxic Species of Parkinson's Protein Named Focus of Funding Program
NEW YORK, April 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michael J. Fox
Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) is launching a new funding
program to promote collaborative analysis of subtypes of the protein
alpha-synuclein.
Aggregating in the cells of all people with Parkinson's disease (PD),
alpha-synuclein is a major target for drug development. To advance
those efforts, scientists must analyze different species of this
protein - resulting from splicing or post-translational modifications
- to name those implicated in the pathological accumulation and create
therapeutics with greater sensitivity and specificity. Such knowledge
could also serve validation of a Parkinson's biomarker, a tool that
tracks the disease process allowing for earlier diagnosis and faster
testing of interventions.
"Alpha-synuclein is our most promising target for a drug that could
stop or prevent Parkinson's," said Todd Sherer, CEO of MJFF.
"Understanding what species of this protein are involved in the
disease would accelerate development of a disease-modifying therapy,
the greatest unmet need of the five million people worldwide living
with PD."
Pre-proposals are due June 16, 2014. MJFF will hold an informational
conference call to discuss goals of the program and answer questions
on May 21, 2014 at 12 p.m. ET. Email conferencecalls@michaeljfox.org
for call-in details.
MJFF previously has funded individual academic and industry scientists
to characterize and quantify alpha-synuclein species in clinical
samples. This initiative expands that effort to encourage
multi-institutional teams to collaboratively develop and execute
milestone-driven plans for addressing the critical challenges of
identifying, verifying and cross-validating alpha-synuclein species in
human Parkinson's disease samples:
-- from the central nervous system, including cerebrospinal fluid and
brain tissues and/or
-- from peripheral tissues - including colon, retina, salivary glands,
blood, plasma, saliva, etc. - and other tissues/biospecimens.
Previous studies have measured total alpha-synuclein levels in these
areas. The findings of these teams could provide more detailed
understanding of heightened protein load in Parkinson's disease.
The latest in the LEAPS (Linked Efforts to Accelerate Parkinson's
Solutions) MJFF model, Alpha-synuclein Pathology LEAPS 2014 will grant
up to $750,000 to each project to support up to a two-year research
plan.
The Foundation has also streamlined access to data and biosamples from
participating clinical Parkinson's studies for use in projects like
these and in non-MJFF funded research. Learn more.
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research As the
world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael
J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's
disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition
today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively
funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global
engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders,
clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to
funding more than $450 million in research to date, the Foundation has
fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure.
Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation
forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic
scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of
participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online
tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through
high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the
grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the
world.
For more information, visit us on the Web, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
and Pinterest.
SOURCE The Michael J. Fox Foundation
-0- 04/23/2014
/CONTACT: Maggie McGuire, mmcguire@michaeljfox.org, 212-509-0995 ext. 295
/Web Site: http://www.michaeljfox.org/
CO: The Michael J. Fox Foundation
ST: New York
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0000 04/23/2014 18:16:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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