Takahashi Team

Parkinson's disease (PD), which is characterized by progressive and selective degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting more than 100,000 patients in Japan. Development of rational and radical remedies for PD based on correct understanding of its pathogenesis is an urgent issue in aging societies. In this project, we establish genetic models of PD in tissue culture cells, Medaka fish and mice, each harboring a single or multiple mutations in genes responsible for or associated with familial PD. With these complementary model systems, we clarify the complex pathophysiology of PD that involves the endoplasmic reticulum stress response, protein degradation mechinery, mitochondria and dopamine metabolism. The goals of our project are to generate research resources, to define molecular targets, and to discover small-molecule lead compounds, for the treatment of PD and related neurodegenerative disorders.