Research summary
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative condition. Large-scale genetic studies have revealed key roles for microglia, the brain’s innate immune cells, in the development of PD and other neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Penney’s research program seeks to understand the roles of microglia in PD using human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models by examining the molecular and cellular effects of risk gene mutations. These studies will be among the first to examine microglial risk genes for PD using iPSC models, will greatly improve understanding of innate immune contributions to neurodegeneration, and have potential to identify novel disease therapeutics.