We are glad to inform that the team of researchers from the Department of Diseases of the Extrapyramidal System are engaged in the international research project funded by Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) and Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Molecular research on Parkinson patients in Polish populations conducted within a global genetics programme is coordinated by Agata Gajos MD PhD.

GP2 programme aims at forming a global platform which will dramatically accelerate the identification of genetic factors behind Parkinson’s Disease. It will also allow for the creation of a network of researchers who can use their knowledge in research, diagnostics, and treatment of PD worldwide. GP2’s mission is to further understand the genetic architecture of Parkinson’s Disease and to provide a useful source of information for researchers engaged in therapy development. In order to complete the mission, GP2 intends to involve the worldwide society of researchers and patients, generate and analyse genetic data on an incredibly large scale to create the infrastructure which will facilitate the access to data for a wide range of researchers.

The use of GP2 data will be possible at both local and regional levels. Data analysis will be performed in an open manner. The obtained results shall provide the grounds for a large body of scientific and clinical research. The number of discovered genes, pathogenic mutations and risk loci will increase significantly within the first five years of GP2 programme implementation, for both monogenic and multi-gene PD inheritance. What is more, for the first time the research will include the populations which have not been sufficiently represented i.e., Africa, Asia, Central America, Caribbean, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania and South America. The impact of genetic factors on the development of PD in various populations will be investigated and then genetic risk factors specific to a given population will be generated.

The primary aim of GP2 is to discover new genetic causes of PD via:

• further understanding of the genetic architecture of Parkinson’s disease by genotyping a variety of populations around the world and investigating rare familial forms of PD,
• identification of risk loci and monogenic causes of the disease as well as genetic phenotype modifiers, penetrance in monogenic inheritance and understanding of population differences in PD genetics,
• formation of a global platform which will accelerate the identification of genetic factors behind Parkinson’s Disease,
• organisation of a network of researchers who can make best use of their knowledge in research, diagnostics, and treatment of PD around the world.

The research will continue till 2026, and its total budget amounts to over $ 9 million.