Grant: Operating Grant

We are using the zebrafish to understand the function of genes that are associated with early onset Parkinson's disease in humans. Zebrafish have counterparts of these genes and offer several advantages to understand how the altered function of these genes causes Parkinson's disease. We are inactivating these genes in the zebrafish and are determining how the control of movement and the biology of specific neurons in the brain associated with movement control are affected. Furthermore, zebrafish can be used to screen for molecules that impact on the function of these neurons and, therefore, provide clues that will be used in the development of novel therapies. This research will help understand the causes of this important neurological disease affecting many Canadians.