The University of Sheffield has been awarded \u00a31.2 million to develop a treatment to help slow down the progression of Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n
Scientists from the University of Sheffield\u2019s Institute of Translational Neuroscience, led by Dr Heather Mortiboys, have been working with experts from Parkinson\u2019s UK to develop a molecule that can boost the function of the brain\u2019s mitochondria to halt the degenerative disease, something that no treatment can currently do.<\/p>\n
Earlier work from Dr Mortiboys, funded by a Parkinson\u2019s UK Senior Fellowship Grant, identified two molecules with amazing mitochondrial restoration properties.<\/p>\n
The new project will bring together biology and chemistry experts from the University of Sheffield, Parkinson\u2019s UK and world-leading contract research organisations to further develop the modified molecules.<\/p>\n
Dr Mortiboys, Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield\u2019s Institute of Translational Neuroscience, said: \u201cWe are delighted to continue our work with Parkinson\u2019s UK to refine these promising molecules to develop a treatment that could stop Parkinson\u2019s in its tracks.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is a desperate need for new and better treatments for Parkinson\u2019s sufferers.\u00a0The degenerative disease causes a loss of physical movement and uncontrollable tremors.<\/p>\n
145,000 people are living with Parkinson\u2019s in the UK and on average. Two people are diagnosed with the disease every hour.<\/p>\n
The project is funded by Parkinson\u2019s UK Virtual Biotech initiative, which is plugging the funding gap in drug development as well as fast-tracking the development of new treatments for Parkinson\u2019s disease sufferers.<\/p>\n
Dr Arthur Roach, Director of Research at Parkinson\u2019s UK said: \u201cThis new funding will greatly accelerate the project and shows our commitment to working with ground-breaking academic researchers in the UK and taking their discoveries from the lab towards clinical trials.<\/p>\n
“There is a desperate need for new and better treatments, and we hope this project will one day deliver a life-changing drug for people living with the condition.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The University of Sheffield has been awarded \u00a31.2 million to develop a treatment to help slow down the progression of Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":165,"featured_media":34118,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18,21,16,85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-news","category-top-stories","category-top-story-2"],"yoast_head":"\n