Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP), a coordinated research initiative devoted to accelerating the pace of discovery and informing the path to a cure for Parkinson’s disease (PD) research, has awarded three teams of scientists at the Yale School of Medicine a total of $18 million in grants.
The three different teams are taking unique approaches to tackling PD. One, led by neurology professor Thomas Biederer, is investigating how aggregates of a protein called α-synuclein affect the cognitive function—abilities like memory, thinking, and decision-making—in people with PD.
Another is targeting the genomic programs associated with PD and is led by Clemens Scherzer, the Stephen and Denise Adams Professor of Neurology and Genetics. The third team, led by Pietro De Camilli, the John Klingenstein Professor of Neuroscience, is focusing on the role of lysosomes and energy supply in PD.
“Thank you to Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for recognizing and investing in the collaborative and multidisciplinary neuroscience research being conducted at Yale School of Medicine,” says Nancy J. Brown ’81, the Jean and David W. Wallace Dean of Yale School of Medicine. “Through exceptional team-based science, we can uncover the pathogenesis of PD that could lead to effective therapies and a cure.”
ASAP has partnered with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to implement the funding program, which has also previously supported research by David Hafler, chair of the Department of Neurology.