AVC researcher awarded prestigious grant for research into Parkinson鈥檚 disease
Dr. Jay Penney, associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Genetics at the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC), 51视频 (51视频), has been awarded a three-year research grant by to study a newly discovered genetic mutation linked to Parkinson鈥檚 disease.
鈥淭his is meaningful to me both personally and professionally,鈥� said Dr. Penney. 鈥淭his research could help us better understand how Parkinson鈥檚 develops at a cellular level, and then potentially treat it.鈥�
The $135,000 grant supports research into a mutation of the RAB32 gene, a recently identified cause of Parkinson鈥檚 disease. This specific mutation was discovered less than a year ago and has been shown to almost always lead to Parkinson鈥檚 when present, and Dr. Penney wants to know why.
Dr. Penney plans to use advanced human stem cell models to create neurons and microglia (specialized brain cells) to study how the RAB32 mutation disrupts their function. 鈥淭he idea is to see how the mutation affects these cells, and by understanding that, we can begin to piece together how it contributes to disease.鈥�
Before joining AVC a year and a half ago, Dr. Penney focused on Alzheimer鈥檚 disease during his postdoctoral training. While the two diseases share several cellular mechanisms, Parkinson鈥檚 is significantly less studied, something that attracted him to the field.
鈥淭his is an understudied area, and I saw an opportunity to explore something new,鈥� he said. 鈥淎lzheimer鈥檚 has dominated the field of neurodegeneration research, but Parkinson鈥檚 deserves the same attention. This project is a way to contribute to that.鈥�
A key aspect of Dr. Penney鈥檚 research is the use of human stem cells that he transforms into brain cells and makes mutations that cause disease in humans. Traditionally, mouse models would be used for such experiments; however, researchers have found that findings from mouse studies often do not translate well to human treatments.
鈥淲ith stem cell models, we can study human cells directly,鈥� said Dr. Penney. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 crucial for making discoveries that will actually apply to patients.鈥�
While the project is in its early stages, Dr. Penney hopes the research will eventually identify potential targets for new Parkinson鈥檚 therapies.
鈥淭his is the first step in understanding how things are happening on a cell level,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f we can do that, then maybe down the road we can figure out how to find a cure.鈥�
As one of the first researchers in Canada to study this specific mutation, Dr. Penney is excited to be at this cross section of stem cell biology, genetics, and neurodegeneration. His work represents not only a significant academic achievement but also a hopeful step toward unraveling the mysteries of Parkinson鈥檚 disease.
