Protein Pathologies 1: Alpha-synuclein, what is it, how can we detect it? (Rallying 2023)

Rallying to the Challenge - DAY 1
Featuring Dr Eraz Anis and Dr Saima Zameer (VAI).

The protein alpha-synuclein often plays an important role in Parkinson's progression. Build-ups of misfolded versions of the protein in dopamine cells form clumps called Lewy bodies. These clumps can prevent cells from functioning normally, leading to their death. In this talk, Dr Eraz Anis and Dr Saima Zameer answer what alpha-synuclein is, how Lewy bodies form and how they impact cells, and how alpha-synuclein is used in Parkinson's research.

This talk was given as a part of the Rallying to the Challenge meeting, hosted by Cure Parkinson's and the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 27-28, 2023. Rallying to the Challenge is a meeting designed for and by people with Parkinson’s, advocates, and care partners to explore how the Parkinson’s community can impact and accelerate research. It is a part of the larger Grand Challenges in Parkinson's Disease meeting, an annual scientific symposium for Parkinson's research.