I wanted to share information about a new LRRK2 paper describing some exciting work funded by MJFF. Below I have a link to the 8/31/11 story on Lancet Neurology as well as an MJFF news story with interviews with lead investigator Owen Ross and MJFF staff PhD, Brian Fiske.

The Genetic Epidemiology of Parkinson’s Disease (GEO-PD) consortium conducted a large worldwide look at most of the reported LRRK2 variants (about 120 or so) and reported on frequency. Highlights include finding some new risk variants in both Caucasians and Asian populations and also getting better handle on frequency/prevalence of a lot of the reported mutations/variants. They also found a ‘protective’ set of variants that might explain why some people with LRRK2 mutations may not necessarily get PD (or get it very late in life).

MJFF is funding a follow-up study to expand this effort into more under-represented populations.

Here is the link to the Lancet Neurology publication: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/la...175-2/fulltext

Here is the link to the MJFF news story: http://www.michaeljfox.org/newsEvent...cle.cfm?ID=502

Debi

I appreciate the information and links. I was fortunate enough to be able to accept an invitation to the Parkinson's Institute and visited them last week for a reception for stem cell research participants. My husband had the LRRK2 G2019S and donated skin cells for their research. It was wonderful to hear some of the researchers discuss the work they are doing in petri dishes with the cells, which they are learning how to turn into stem cells and then nerve cells. They also discussed zinc-finger research and work with mitochondria. There are some dedicated, smart people working on this! And I thank Michael J Fox for getting people to work together and share information.