SC Connecticut News

Precision medicine for Parkinson's disease is the central focus of a new Center for Advanced Research at Yale School of Medicine, funded by the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA). This center, led by Clemens Scherzer, MD, aims to unite Parkinson's researchers at Yale and foster high-risk projects.

Scherzer stated, "Our goal is to develop the future of precision medicine for Parkinson’s disease by bringing together the entire Yale community—the physician-scientists, researchers, engineers—to work together and identify its underlying genes and mechanisms."

Yale School of Medicine (YSM) has established itself as a leader in Parkinson's research. The institution holds 37 active grants related to the disease and conducts 29 clinical trials. The research has resulted in 46 publications over the past year.

The Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative is also present at Yale. This global effort provides $9 million awards to teams worldwide. At Yale, these teams are led by Scherzer alongside Thomas Biederer, PhD; David Hafler, MD; and Pietro De Camilli, MD. According to Scherzer, "The new center will connect everyone around campus interested in and passionate about advancing Parkinson’s research and care."

In addition to research efforts, YSM offers comprehensive care through its Adams Comprehensive Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Care Center under Veronica Santini, MD. The institution is committed to training future specialists with Sara Schaefer, MD directing educational programs.

The APDA Center designation will strengthen ties between YSM and APDA while providing seed funding for innovative studies on precision medicine targets. One collaborative project involves labs led by Scherzer, De Camilli, and Sreeganga Chandra investigating synaptic vesicle endocytosis dysfunction as a potential cause of Parkinson's in some patients.

Another study led by Monika Sharma examines whether the beta-2 adrenergic receptor affects mitochondrial function in early-stage Parkinson's disease. These efforts aim to explore potential therapeutic targets for improved treatment options.

"The center will be a glue that brings together all of the Parkinson’s researchers at Yale," said Scherzer regarding APDA's support for these initiatives.