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Biomedical Sciences Research Seminar

Metabolic re-wiring in Parkinson’s disease

Atomic structure of a biological molecule
Seminars

As part of the School of Science and Technology Biomedical Sciences Research Centre Seminar Series, Dr Julia Fitzgerald, University of Tϋbingen presents: Metabolic re-wiring in Parkinson’s disease.

  • From: Wednesday 28 February 2018, 1.10 pm
  • To: Wednesday 28 February 2018, 2 pm
  • Location: 282, Erasmus Darwin, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS
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Event details

As part of the School of Science and Technology Biomedical Sciences Research Centre Seminar Series, Dr Julia Fitzgerald, University of Tϋbingen presents: Metabolic re-wiring in Parkinson’s disease.

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common degenerative movement disorder caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the mid-brain. PD is genetically, pathologically and clinically heterogeneous and currently there are no causative treatments available.

Our approach is to identify faulty genes in PD and try to understand what the encoded protein is doing, using this as an entry point to investigate common biological pathways that might underlie the disease. An organelle that integrates several of the known signaling pathways in PD is the mitochondrion. But mitochondria exist in all cell types and we are trying to understand what makes dopaminergic neurons so vulnerable.

A major challenge has been that diseases of old age are tied to the flexible process of aging making experimental modelling a challenge. Improved modelling in patient-derived cells and generation of dopaminergic neurons in our lab has allowed some insight into the compensatory (re-wiring) mechanisms that allow neurons to survive in the presence of an apparent defect (at least for some time) in the hope that we might be able to hijack such mechanisms for improved therapies.

This seminar is hosted by Professor Ellen Billett.

All welcome.

For any enquiries please contact Dr Amanda Coutts or Dr John Dickenson

Location details

Room/Building:

282, Erasmus Darwin

Address:

Nottingham Trent University
Clifton Campus
Clifton Lane
 Nottingham
 NG11 8NS

Past event

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