We bring together a team of experts in the fields of Parkinson’s disease and cancer to borrow sophisticated approaches from cancer research to collaboratively test a hypothesis that immune dysregulation is the reason why alterations in LRRK2 and Parkin can cause both Parkinson’s disease and cancer, with a focus on Parkinson’s disease in this proposed work. We will use dopamine-producing neurons derived from Parkinson’s disease patient stem cells, mouse models with genetically modified LRRK2 and Parkin to modulate and characterize their immune signatures in both the periphery and the brain. In addition, we will perform immune profiling in samples from patients with Parkinson’s disease or cancer.
Here is an overview of how this team’s article findings have contributed to the PD field as of June 2025. There are two different categorizations of these contributions – one by impact to the PD community and a second by scientific category.
Impact
Category
Members of the team have been recognized for their contributions.
Network Spotlights
Armin Bayati, Xiqun Chen, Weiyi Peng
Members of the CRN work diligently to advance our understanding of Parkinson’s disease. Learn more about recent CRN discoveries and achievements.
