A new research collaboration at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
aims to move promising new therapies for Parkinson's disease from
primates to patients.
Based at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center and named
the Preclinical Parkinson's Disease Research Program, the
collaboration became official in November. Joseph Kemnitz, professor
of physiology and Primate Center director, is the program's
executive director. Renowned Parkinson's disease expert Marina
Emborg, senior scientist at the Primate Center and in the department
of anatomy, is scientific director. "Our goal is to hasten
discoveries that will lead to new therapies for Parkinson's disease,
with an emphasis on cell and gene-based therapies," says Kemnitz.

Through the new program, the Primate Center is poised to become the
country's centralized resource for Parkinson's disease research
using nonhuman primate models, especially macaques, Kemnitz says.
Program collaborators and funding agencies that will help develop
the necessary laboratory and animal resources at the Primate Center
include WinCon, a biotechnology company in Nanning, Guangxi, China;
researchers at the Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, and an anonymous
foundation.

"Macaques are regarded by many as the most useful model for
Parkinson's research," Kemnitz says. "These collaborators chose the
Wisconsin National Primate Research Center because we have a well
established infrastructure for conducting research using nonhuman
primates, and UW-Madison has a broad range of expertise directly
relevant to this program."

That expertise lies in the UW-Madison's renowned capabilities in
brain imaging technology, stem cell biology and clinical
biomanufacturing. Researchers from the Primate Center, Waisman
Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, School of Pharmacy,
and other campus entities are already developing promising
Parkinson's therapies based on embryonic stem cell derivations,
trophic (nutritive) factors, compounds called thiazolidenediones,
deep brain stimulation and other treatment avenues.

"We're committed to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease," Emborg
says.

Jordana Lenon
December 14, 2006(University of Wisconsin System) -