Shared from parkinson.org.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression occurs in part because of a misfolded protein called alpha-synuclein that spreads in the brain. Alpha-synuclein forms clumps that clog brain cells (including neurons), leading to their eventual deterioration. Over time, the clumping kills neurons and impairs the brain’s ability to produce dopamine, leading to Parkinson’s symptoms.
Sunil Kumar, PhD, a recipient of a Parkinson’s Foundation Stanley Fahn Junior Faculty Award, is working on a new way to stop this spread using foldamers, which mimic the chemical and structural fingerprints of clumping alpha-synuclein and prevent this toxic process.
Foldamers are bioengineered compounds designed to fold into specific shapes, similar to how proteins, like alpha synuclein, fold and behave in the body. Understanding how foldamers fold and their unique structures could lead to the development of new therapeutics.