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DDPDGENES

Dr Sten Linnarsson

Scientific Coordinator of DDPDGENES, based at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

Research field

Neurology, Genetics, Parkinson’s Disease

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If you want to know more

Who?

Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients can become severely disabled, so Sten Linnarsson of Karolinska Institutet is very motivated to find a cure. PD usually affects old people, but the very young may provide the key to the cure. Dr Linnarsson: “Genes that regulate embryonic brain development may dysfunction in PD”.

Why?

“Around 4 to 6 million people worldwide suffer from PD. Patients often have difficulty with walking and talking. There is no cure for PD, but a possible future treatment is to restore the lost cells using laboratory-produced cells. This can only be successful if we know exactly which cell types and genes are involved in PD.”

What?

The main symptoms of PD are trembling, stiffness, slowness of movement and impaired balance. This is caused by the death of dopamine-producing brain cells. "Our aim is to understand how developmental genes are involved in this cell death. We also want to characterise the subtypes of nerve cells that play a role in PD”.

How?

"We will compare nerve cells and stem cells from healthy persons with those from PD patients. Cells from mice and humans will also be compared. Leading experts from Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and Spain are involved in the project. This international collaboration enables us to share our expertise and technological skills."

Identification of genes involved in Parkinson’s disease

Nerve cells use chemicals called neurotransmitters to communicate and PD symptoms are caused by a loss of nerve cells that use dopamine as a neurotransmitter in a specific part of the brain called the substantia nigra.

DDPDGENES on Facebook National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke National Parkinson Foundation In Focus article 'The road from skin cell to stem cell mapped' In Focus article 'Worldwide attention to Parkinson's disease' In Focus article 'He knows all about his DNA'

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Background image: DDPDGENES

Portrait of the project coordinator: DDPDGENES

Timeline (in chronological order): DDPDGENES