Laurie H. Sanders, PhD, associate professor in neurology and pathology, conducts research on Parkinson’s disease. Her lab has developed a method, based on mitochondrial DNA damage, that can detect Parkinson’s disease in its early stages with a simple blood test. Her research has the potential not only to enable early diagnosis and intervention before significant neurological damage occurs, but also to help identify therapeutic targets to reverse or halt damaged mitochondrial DNA and the disease process.
The Sanders test can distinguish people with Parkinson's from people without it, but there's much more to understand before clinical trials, like how the "biomarkers" change with aging. Said Sanders, "And we want to understand what’s driving DNA damage in the first place, because then we might be able to target that process with new therapeutics." (Duke Univ. School of Medicine)
Sanders’ research break-through came about supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Her laboratory staff includes one postdoctoral scholar, three graduate students, three visiting scholars, three technicians, and 13 undergraduates. On February 7, 2025, Trump's new hit-men at NIH announced a cap of 15% on reimbursement of Facilities & Administration (F&A) research grant costs, which cover equipment and facilities, maintenance and compliance, data processing, and many other essential needs that make research possible.
"The proposed cap could mean an estimated loss of almost $200 million annually in research funding at Duke alone and significantly hinder or halt scientific and biomedical research in many critical areas." Trump 2.0 threatens to extinguish a whole generation of rising scientists, like the assistants in Sanders' lab, let alone put a damper on the advancement of basic science. (The funding-cap order from NIH is currently on judicial hold, with the future very cloudy.)
Dr. Sanders' current grant ends in August. She said, "I’ve submitted a grant proposal to continue our work, but right now [NIH] is not even reviewing grants, much less approving them."
The MAGA crowd who chortle at any pain felt by egg-heads might want to consider how your laughter sounds to the millions who could be saved by Dr. Sanders' breakthrough. My own mother was diagnosed in her 60s with Parkinson's, and the spiraling deterioration took us all down, especially my father. "We do this because there are real people living with the disease right now,” said Dr. Sanders. "Our work is always with an eye toward translation [into practical tests] and ultimately to benefit patients."
3 comments:
If the research is worthy, and this is, is there no other funding available other than Federal grants?
If not, why not?
Probably because it's not pharmaceutical research, which would be profitable. Necessary, for sure, but less likely for drug companies to spend money on as it's farther from a marketable drug.
Exactly.
Just as kratom and cannabis aren’t funded. No patent no money.
Where’s Franklin Graham donating to help? Those closest to Jesus are supposed to help the poor and suffering.
Hope none of y’all have a loved one with dementia and or similar afflictions.
You won’t be the same after they die, from your religion to your outlook on life.
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