NOV | 2004
LRRK2 DISCOVERED
EDMOND J . SAFRA GENETICS CONSORTIA LAUNCHES
OCT | 2003
Research that begun less than two decades ago now underpins a veritable revolution in Parkinson ’ s understanding and drug development . The pioneering Edmond J . Safra Genetics Consortia leads the field of genetics research as evidence mounts that genetic susceptibility , alone or combined with other risk factors , may increase the risk of development of PD .
Research led by an international genetics consortium implicates a new gene , LRRK2 ( leucinerich repeating kinase 2 ), in Parkinson ’ s disease . Mutations in the LRRK2 gene , the investigators write , “ may be central to the pathogenesis of […] parkinsonism .” LRRK2 quickly ignites a new field of intense investigation — an early sign of a major shift toward new appreciation for the role of genetics in Parkinson ’ s .
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