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Lee Mosley, Ph.D. |
The $125,000 award will fund one year of Dr. Mosley’s research on the role of the immune system in Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Mosley and a team of interdisciplinary investigators are investigating subsets of T cells critical for preventing nerve cell degeneration in animal models of Parkinson’s disease. It is hoped that these efforts will aid in the discovery of an effective vaccine for this disease.
“Receipt of this award is acclamation of Lee Mosley’s cutting-edge research in defining what is needed for a successful Parkinson’s disease vaccine,” said Howard Gendelman, M.D., chair of the PEN Department. “We are optimistic about the potential of Dr. Mosley’s work in this area and are pleased it has been recognized by The Michael J. Fox Foundation.”
This is not the only award Dr. Mosley and others in the PEN Department have received toward developing a Parkinson’s vaccine. Six years ago, significant financial support was received from Fran and Louis Blumkin of Omaha and Carol Swarts, M.D., a radiation oncologist in Kentucky who is a 1959 graduate of the UNMC College of Medicine, to help initiate the research effort at UNMC.
In addition, two grants from the National Institutes of Health and one pharmaceutical grant have been received and are supporting PEN scientists in their research efforts to develop new therapeutic treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
“The strong collegial atmosphere and team approach afforded at our medical center have made this possible,” Dr. Mosley said.
The Community Fast Track program is designed to test innovative concepts in Parkinson’s research and determine as quickly as possible whether they merit further investigation. The program provides one year of funding, and the foundation moves quickly to provide supplemental funding if predetermined one-year milestones are met and research teams have a workable plan in place to address next steps.
“Community Fast Track brings two important foundation goals to bear — ensuring that fresh and novel approaches continue to flow into the research pipeline, and hastening development of those leads that show the greatest promise for translation into patient-relevant interventions,” said Deborah W. Brooks, president and CEO of The Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Since Community Fast Track was launched in 2001, the program has awarded approximately $16.5 million in grants to support 98 research projects.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research is dedicated to ensuring the development of a cure for Parkinson’s disease within this decade through an aggressive research agenda. To date, the foundation has funded more than $86 million in research directly or through partnerships. For more information, visit www.michaeljfox.org.