The Kim Lab: Assessing the neuropathology of Parkinson’s disease and developing potential combination therapies

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative motor disease, affecting more than 1% of the population above the age of 60. The disorder is primarily characterized by the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) in the midbrain and formation of intraneuronal inclusions called "Lewy bodies" which contain alpha-synuclein as their major protein component. The pathological mechanisms involved in neuropathology associated with PD is largely unknown, however, the A53T mutation of alpha-synuclein causes Lewy body formation and is a well-known genetic PD model.