Saving Neurons, Changing Lives: Tackling POLG-Driven Parkinson’s in an Aging World
Lay Abstract
This project addresses the critical connection between POLG mutations, mitochondrial dysfunction, and Parkinson’s disease in the aging population. By creating dopaminergic neurons derived from patients with POLG mutations, we will investigate how mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to neurodegeneration, and will be seeking drugs that protect mitochondria to prevent cell death and preserve neuron (brain) function. The ultimate goal is to identify treatments that protect individuals with POLG mutations from developing Parkinson’s disease as they age.
Institution
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Link >Principle Investigator
Dr. Carolyn Sue
Professor Carolyn Sue, AM, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, holds the prestigious Kinghorn Chair of Neurodegeneration at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), is a Professor of Neurology at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Director of Neurosciences at Prince of Wales Hospital (POWH). An internationally recognised clinician-scientist, Professor Sue is renowned for her pioneering research in Parkinson's disease and mitochondrial disorders. She leads the Australian Mitochondrial Disease Centre and the Parkinson’s Disease Centre of Excellence at NeuRA and has significantly advanced the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases through her innovative research integrating genomics, molecular neuroscience, and adult stem cell models.
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