The Translational Genomics Research Institute, part of City of Hope, announced on July 28 that it has been selected to join the Collaborative Research Network, an international initiative focused on addressing high-priority research questions in Parkinson's disease. The network includes researchers from institutions such as the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Denali Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health, The Ohio State University, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
The Collaborative Research Network consists of 67 research teams with nearly 400 investigators across 187 institutions in 22 countries. Supported by a grant from Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP), in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, the team will study how biological factors influence the development and progression of Parkinson's disease. Nearly one million people in the United States are affected by this condition.
This collaboration brings together expertise in lysosome biology, secreted molecules, neurodegeneration, and molecular analysis to better understand processes driving Parkinson’s disease. By combining knowledge across institutions and disciplines, researchers aim to uncover mechanisms that could guide future therapeutic strategies.
The study will investigate how genes linked to Parkinson’s affect lysosome function and why some brain cells are more vulnerable than others. It will also examine which molecules are released by stressed cells and whether these can be used as early warning signs or biomarkers for detecting Parkinson’s earlier or guiding patient-specific treatments. Luis Bonet-Ponce said, "Lysosomes are small, membrane-bound organelles that play a critical role in cellular clearance and waste management... Understanding how genetic and environmental risk factors affect lysosomal membrane integrity could significantly advance our understanding of PD pathobiology and identify new opportunities for therapeutic intervention." Anastasia Henry said, "Understanding how Parkinson's disease-associated genetic variants disrupt lysosomal function is essential to help translate basic discoveries into new therapeutic approaches... This collaboration brings together complementary expertise and technologies across both industry and academia to advance these efforts with the ultimate goal of informing the development of more targeted therapies for people living with Parkinson's disease."
Contributions also come from Tijana Jovanovic-Talisman at Beckman Research Institute and Steve Gould at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Jovanovic-Talisman said, "Using super-resolution imaging, our team will help track the molecular signals released by stressed cells to better understand how disease begins at the cellular level... By decoding this communication, our team hopes to identify biomarkers that could enable earlier diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and support the development of more effective, personalized treatments." Mark R. Cookson said, "We have known for some time that high levels of alpha-synuclein expression can be a trigger for neurodegeneration... What this project aims to address is how cells other than those that are very vulnerable indirectly influence cell survival."
ASAP launched the CRN in 2020 with a mission to accelerate discovery through open science collaboration while providing resources intended to lower technical barriers often encountered during drug development.
