Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2006

Mentor: Matthew Goldberg, Ph.D.
Department: Neurology and Psychiatry
Room number: ND4.214A
Mail Code: 8813
Phone number: 214 645-6252
E-mail: Matthew.Goldberg@UTSouthwestern.edu
Project title: mouse models of inherited Parkinson's disease

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): N/A

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): APN# 1085-05-01-1

Project Type: Animal-based and basic research projects are available

Brief Description of Project:

The Goldberg lab is focused on discovering what causes Parkinson's disease (PD) and is committed to rapidly translating these discoveries into better treatments by working together with the movement disorders clinic at UT Southwestern.

Despite intensive research, the cause of PD remains a major unsolved mystery. We have recently made important progress by developing mice bearing mutations in the parkin and DJ-1 genes linked to inherited forms of PD.

Our published studies of parkin mutant mice have provided valuable clues to the molecular mechanisms by which parkin mutations cause parkinsonism in humans (Goldberg et al., 2003; Palacino et al., 2004). Using DJ-1 mutant mice, we recently identified novel and important roles for DJ-1 in dopamine-mediated neuronal activity and locomotor behavior (Goldberg et al., 2005).

Several projects are available in the Goldberg lab to study behavioral abnormalities in parkin and DJ-1 knockout mice, biochemical pathways, and cellular functions of parkin and DJ-1 using cultured cells.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

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