PD team awarded Grant

PD TEAM AWARDED MICHAEL J. FOX GRANT

Congratulations to MIHG’s Dr. Gaofeng Wang on receiving a grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. The grant will support Dr. Wang’s research of the fibroblast growth factor 20 gene (FGF20), determining whether proteins produced by this gene indirectly contribute to the death of dopaminergic or dopamine producing cells.  Individuals affected by Parkinson’s exhibit decreased levels or complete loss of the cells that produce dopamine—a chemical messenger (neurotransmitter) that participates in several functions of brain activity, including cognition and motor activity.  Dr. Wang and MIHG researchers are currently expanding studies of the FGF20 gene in an effort to identify specific genetic variants and molecular mechanisms leading to PD.