Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Conversation
The Conversation
Sunil Kumar, Associate Professor of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Denver

Foldable synthetic molecules could infiltrate and bust apart the toxic protein clumps causing Parkinson’s

Toxic clumps of abnormal proteins damage neurons and cause dementia. Juan Gaertner/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Current therapies for Parkinson’s disease and related conditions primarily treat symptoms but don’t stop the underlying process causing the disease.

Increasing evidence suggests that toxic clumps of proteins called alpha-synuclein are among the primary drivers of damage to neurons. My team and I developed a synthetic molecule that can block these proteins from clumping and spreading in the brains of mice, ultimately reducing symptoms of disease.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.