Dr. An Phu Tran Nguyen, Assistant Professor at UW-Milwaukee’s Department of Biological Sciences and Greater Milwaukee Area Foundation Shaw Scientist will present a talk about his work. The presentation is entitled, “Understanding the pathological mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease: insights from genetic animal models.”

The abstract is as follows:

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder with no known cure, affecting 1-2% of the global population aged 60 and older. While the exact cause of PD is not known, it is commonly admitted that PD results from a combination of genetics and exposure to one or more unknown environmental factors. Approximately 10% of PD cases are linked to specific gene mutations, either autosomal-dominant or autosomal-recessive, offering opportunities for studying the disease’s underlying mechanisms in cellular and animal models. Among the PD genes, mutations in the LRRK2 gene are the most prevalent and cause late-onset, autosomal dominant familial PD. LRRK2 is a multidomain protein possessing two distinct enzymatic activities (GTPase and kinase). Familial mutations in LRRK2 gene consistently augment LRRK2 kinase activity suggesting a gain-of-function mechanism of pathogenic LRRK2 mutants in mediating neurodegeneration. On the other hand, mutations in SNCA gene encoding alpha-Synuclein (aSyn) causes early-onset, autosomal dominant familial PD. Accumulation of aSyn in Lewy bodies is a pathological hallmark in PD brain. In this presentation, I will discuss the use of genetic animal models (with a primary focus on LRRK2 and SNCA models) to investigate the mechanisms of neuronal cell death in PD. Comprehending the functions of the gene products associated with PD is essential for unraveling the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease and for identifying potential therapeutic interventions.

The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.