Gene Discovery
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About Us
The goal for Centre for Applied Neurogenetics (CAN) is to accelerate drug development for Parkinson disease and other neurologic and neurodegenerative disorders via applied neurogenetics and molecular neuroscience. Learn More
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To develop a cure requires patients and families to get involved, the collaboration of expert neurologists, and a scientific team with a passion for molecular neuroscience. There are many ways to get involved!Learn More
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Project Highlights
Parkinson disease is a complex, multifactorial neurodegenerative disease. Although a heritable basis was originally thought unlikely, recent studies have implicated several genes in its pathogenesis, and molecular findings now allow accurate diagnosis and challenge past criteria for defining Parkinson disease. Most importantly, genetic insights provide the rationale for new strategies for prevention or therapy, and have led to animal models of disease in which these strategies can be tested. Neuroprotective therapies can now be designed to slow or halt disease progression in affected subjects and asymptomatic carriers. << Learn More >>
Our Goals
Finding Causes of Parkinson Disease
Understanding Cellular Processes
Development of New Therapies
Finding Causes of Parkinson Disease
To develop successful therapies for Parkinson disease, we must identify and understand the molecular events occurring. Our objective is to provide symptomatic relief by stopping disease progression. With the help of families in which two or more individuals have been diagnosed with Parkinson disease, and with the help of communities and populations in which the disease is most prevalent, we are working to identify genetic risk factors. Over the past decade, we have discovered many of the genes involved in Parkinson disease and many of the molecular causes.
Understanding Cellular Processes
By focusing on the underlying molecular aetiology of Parkinson disease we provide a rational basis for drug discovery and the tools to accomplish it. Genes, RNA and the proteins they encode fashion the cells and tissues from which we are made. Our group makes and characterizes cellular models that mimic ‘molecular parkinsonism’. Cellular models lead to a better appreciation of the biological processes perturbed, to new targets, intervention strategies and drug-screening assays. These tools and molecular insights have lowered the Pharmaceutical Industries’ threshold for further investment in novel therapeutics and clinical trials.
Development of New Therapies
Our approach is designed to have immediate impact, as molecular targets that predict risk also facilitate diagnosis, biomarker identification and models in which to identify and test novel therapeutic interventions. In Parkinson disease the unmet need for neuroprotection, and the urgency for it, has never been greater. Only through the collaborative and compassionate effort of patients, their families, neurologists, neuroscientists and multi-national Pharmaceutical companies, Federal governments, Foundations and philanthropists may we prevent the inexorable decline that patients suffer and can we ‘effect a cure’. It’s a global mission.
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