Background pattern of a brain with neural connections

Team Fraser

Generating new small molecules for Parkinson’s targets using structure-based discovery and design

2026-Present

We aim to develop novel, IP-free chemical tools for emerging Parkinson’s disease targets prioritized by ASAP using three complementary, activity-agnostic approaches: fragment-based X-ray screening, covalent screening in disease-relevant cell lines, and virtual screening via docking. Our collaborative team is well-positioned for high-throughput protein biochemistry, compound synthesis, and structural biology. We will initially pursue ten structurally tractable targets, with the goal of advancing validated chemical probes (<100 nM potency in cells) for at least five targets by year three. All compounds will be distributed non-restrictively via Enamine to enable broad community use and downstream modulator (inhibitor, activator, allosteric binder) development.

Tags
Artificial intelligenceStructure guided drug design

Contributions

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Accolades

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In the News

Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s and The Michael J. Fox Foundation Expand Global Research Initiative with $261M Investment Toward Personalized Treatments

Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s and The Michael J. Fox Foundation Expand Global Research Initiative with $261M Investment Toward Personalized Treatments

04/28/2026 — Today, Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP), in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF), announced $261 million in new grant funding for the Collaborative Research Network (CRN) to map the biological blueprint of Parkinson’s disease and build a standardized toolkit of global research resources that are needed to turn discoveries into treatments.

Our Research Teams

Members of the CRN work diligently to advance our understanding of Parkinson’s disease. Learn more about recent CRN discoveries and achievements.