MJFF CEO Todd Sherer, PhD, Michael J. Fox, and 23andMe Founder Anne Wojcicki at 23andMe's offices last month.

Today, Bloomberg Businessweek featured Sergey Brin’s investment in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research, highlighting his transformative support of The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), and the work being done at 23andMe, the personal genetics company founded by his wife, Anne Wojcicki.

The article highlights new investments in research targeting LRRK2, the greatest known genetic contributor to PD.  Brin has been a leader in engaging a broader campaign in Parkinson’s research, partnering with MJFF to develop an innovative model in a space that needed it.  Now researchers from across academia and industry combine resources with scientists from major pharmaceutical companies, in a “Manhattan Project” to devise drugs against LRRK2.  The piece chronicles the innovative partnership between Brin and MJFF: Continue reading “Bloomberg Businessweek: Google Co-founder Sergey Brin Partners with The Michael J. Fox Foundation to Create a ‘Manhattan Project’ in Search for Parkinson’s Cure” »

In April, more than 30 world leaders in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research gathered in New York City for The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s (MJFF) annual Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) meeting.  A top theme throughout the two-day meeting: the genetics of Parkinson’s disease.

Genetic research holds critical potential to help all people living with PD, whether or not they carry mutations in genes linked to the disease. By studying the biological processes underlying inherited forms of Parkinson’s, scientists can better understand all forms of the disease (familial and the more common sporadic), opening new avenues to therapeutic development.

“New understandings of the genetics of Parkinson’s disease are informing PD drug development today,” said MJFF CEO Todd Sherer, PhD. “Our Foundation is building on these discoveries to define this research and ensure its translational focus, in order to speed its practical impact for people living with PD.”

SAB members discussed the growing role of the Foundation in driving forward research into four specific genetic targets relevant to PD: LRRK2, alpha-synuclein, tau, and GBA. MJFF is devoting the lion’s share of its gene-based investments to two of these targets: LRRK2, the most common genetic contributor discovered to date, and alpha-synuclein, whose clumping is seen in every case of PD.

A clear message from the SAB was the impact MJFF could make in bringing together patients and their doctors in the quest to understand PD genetics.

“It’s important that the Foundation, and other stakeholders, try to bring their resources to bear on getting geneticists interested in PD research onto the same page and into the same room as neurologists who see patients,” said SAB member Mark Cookson, PhD, of the National Institute on Aging. “It is critical that these groups talk early and often about the next steps in genetic analysis and, in the longer term, in moving from genetic discoveries to practical treatments for Parkinson’s disease.”

Read on for the latest in how the Foundation is working to bring findings from genetics closer to pharmacy shelves. Continue reading “New Understandings of the Genetics of Parkinson’s Disease Inform Drug Development Today” »

In spring 2009, personal genetics company 23andMe announced that it would recruit 10,000 people with Parkinson’s to contribute DNA for research to illuminate the role of genetics in PD. Three years later, 7,500 people with Parkinson’s across 49 U.S. states and 26 countries have joined what has become the largest Parkinson’s community for genetic research worldwide.  23andMe researchers are making progress toward building a greater picture of the underlying causes of the disease, genetic and otherwise.

“23andMe’s unique initiative leveraging DNA technology, the Internet, and patient participation is already enhancing understanding of Parkinson’s disease,” says Todd Sherer, PhD, CEO of The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF). “Ongoing results could open new approaches to developing drugs.”

There are many reasons for conducting genetic studies tied to PD.  One is to better predict an individual’s risk for developing the disease in the long-term.   Another reason is that, by studying genetic mutations, researchers hope to better understand the molecular processes taking place during the course of PD, in both genetic and sporadic cases of the disease. This could lead to improved drugs to counteract these processes.

MJFF has been a publicity partner to the PD Research Community, helping spread the word to people with Parkinson’s about the opportunity to speed research progress by mailing in a saliva sample to 23andMe to collect the DNA it needs to analyze people’s genetics.

Today, Sherer, Michael J. Fox, and Foundation Co-Founder Debi Brooks are visiting 23andMe’s Mountain View, California offices to see the operation first hand.

“The Foundation has played a major role in research progress we’ve made to this point,” says Emily Drabant, PhD, Research Development Manager at 23andMe. “Today’s visit gives us the chance to share updates with Todd, Michael, and Debi personally — and think through opportunities to continue our fruitful collaboration.”

Read on to learn more about some of 23andMe’s advances in research.

Continue reading “Navigating the ‘Many Roads to Rome’: MJFF Partner 23andMe Drives Genetic Research Toward Drugs to Treat Parkinson’s Disease” »

Brian Fiske, vice president of research programs at The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), is profiled in a video project from Thomson Reuters’ released today called “Building the Future,” which highlights five “builders” that partnered with the business data-providing giant over the past year.

The MJFF-driven segment is called “Building Hope,” and focuses on the Foundation’s work encouraging researchers to share tools and data toward the end goal of finding a cure for PD. Continue reading “Building Hope Through Collaboration and the Right Tools” »

Understanding the genetics of Parkinson’s disease (PD) could be a total game changer in developing new treatments for the disease. Especially when it comes to two genetic targets in particular: LRRK2, the most common genetic mutation in PD, and alpha-synuclein, whose clumping in the brain is the pathological hallmark of the disease.

But the genetic connection of LRRK2 to Parkinson’s is more mystery than destiny; genetics alone rarely cause the onset of a disease.

So what else is at play? Continue reading “Podcast: What is the Connection Between Genetics and Environment in Parkinson’s?” »

The exact cause of Parkinson’s disease is unknown, although research points to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Genetic targets allow scientists to study important mechanisms underlying disease onset and progression for everyone, not just those with genetic mutations implicated in PD.

Genetic research is critical to increasing understanding of PD, and developing breakthrough treatments for the disease.  Specific studies focused on genetic targets like alpha-synuclein, a protein whose clumping is the pathological hallmark of PD, and LRRK2, the most common genetic contributor discovered to date, could speed progress toward treatments for everyone with PD, not just those with genetic mutations. Continue reading “Genetics and Parkinson’s: Efforts to Study the Role of Genetics in PD” »

The Alzheimer Research Forum, an online scientific community dedicated to understanding Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), has reported on the LRRK2 Cohort Consortium, an initiative funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to assemble and study groups of people with and without PD who carry mutations in the LRRK2 gene.  LRRK2 is the greatest genetic contributor to PD discovered to date, and is a priority target for the Foundation. Continue reading “Alzheimer Research Forum Highlights Parkinson’s LRRK2 Cohort Consortium” »

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) was featured in the latest newsletter from BioIsrael, a leading source of news and information for that nation’s life sciences community. Read more to learn about the Foundation’s $6.5 million in investments in PD research in Israel to date, targeting Foundation priority areas like LRRK2, the most common genetic contributor to PD, and the improved delivery of levodopa, long the gold standard of treatment for the disease.

Continue reading “MJFF Funding Parkinson’s Disease Research in Israel” »

On January 6, GenomeWeb News reported that 23andMe was altering earlier plans to make subscribers’ genetic information available even if they decided to cancel their subscriptions to 23andMe’s service.  The firm’s new policy, the website reported, stated that those who cancel their subscriptions would be “cut off from accessing much of their genetic information, including reports that interpret their genetic data.” It is important to note: Any potential changes to subscriptions at 23andMe do not affect those in the Parkinson’s disease community.

According to a spokesperson for the firm, none of those with PD who have signed up for 23andMe’s services were to be affected; none in fact are paying any kind of subscription. All members of the PD community have free lifetime memberships, and they will continue to receive updated health reports indefinitely, the spokesperson explained.

Moreover, in a response to the confusion, 23andMe co-founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki issued a statement amending the planned changes for the community of subscribers on the whole, extending services for many so that no changes will be made to any accounts until July 31, 2012.  Wojcicki’s statement also explained that customers will not be removed from the firm’s Relative Finder database, which allows subscribers to identify and then to contact relatives who may also have subscribed to the service.   To read the full list of changes, read Wojcicki’s letter here.

In 2009, 23andMe launched an initiative to recruit 10,000 people with PD to join a research community designed to leverage DNA technology, the Internet, and patient participation to enhance scientific understanding of PD toward the development of breakthrough treatments for the disease.  The Michael J. Fox Foundation is a partner in this initiative. To find out more about how you can be a part of this community, visit www.michaeljfox.org/23andme.cfm.

This week, the MJFF research staff reflected on some of the projects they worked on in 2011 that they believe could have the greatest impact on the Parkinson’s disease (PD) patient community.  Read on to find out directly from Foundation team members about some of the work being done to speed progress toward a cure.

“I’m enthusiastic about the progress made in 2011 on PPMI.  The study has now enrolled over 280 individuals to participate in the study, and data have been already downloaded more than 4,000 times by scientists in the research community at large to conduct independent studies toward verifying biomarkers for PD.   MJFF also helped make a specific lab test available to researchers that could help to measure the protein alpha-synuclein as a potential biomarker for the disease – a huge step forward.  Thanks to such advancements, I am hopeful that PPMI will in the future have a major impact on drug development for PD, tangibly benefiting those living with the disease.” – Mark Frasier, PhD, director of research programs

Continue reading “MJFF Research Staff Reflects on Some of 2011′s Big Impact Projects” »