Understanding the role of mitochondria in Parkinson’s disease

Mitochondria are often considered the powerhouse of cells as they create a significant amount of energy. However, their dysfunction has been linked to many disorders and defective mitochondria have strong links to Parkinson’s disease. How and why this happens in Parkinson’s disease is unknown.

In this talk, Ian will discuss new techniques that have allowed analysis of a mitochondrial quality control pathway. This has led to the discovery that the most common mutation in Parkinson’s disease disrupts this pathway in the brain. Importantly, this defect can be reversed with a preclinical drug, providing a potential new treatment approach for this disease.