NIH R21 Grant Awarded: “LRRK2 Kinase Activity and Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress”.

September 15, 2018

Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a potential therapeutic target for Parkinson’s disease (PD) intervention. Mutations in LRRK2 are currently the most common genetic causes of PD, and several of these mutations directly or indirectly increase LRRK2 kinase activity. Furthermore, LRRK2 kinase activity has been implicated in its toxicity to neurons, and LRRK2 mutations may be pathogenic in other cell types such as microglia and those in peripheral tissues, causing symptoms associated with inflammation and gastrointestinal distress. The primary outcome of this project will be sensor technologies that are optimized for use by the research communities studying Parkinson’s disease, LRRK2, and oxidative stress. Congratulations to Mathew Tantama and Chris Rochet for being awarded $192,785.