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TO HEALTH, AND NATIONAL EDITORS:
Heiko Braak, MD, Author of Parkinson's Staging Procedure, Honored with
2014 Robert A. Pritzker Prize
NEW YORK, April 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Heiko Braak, MD,
who proposed a novel pathway of Parkinson's disease progression, is
the recipient of the 2014 Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in
Parkinson's Research, conferred annually by The Michael J. Fox
Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF).
In 2003, Braak - now senior professor at Ulm University in Germany -
outlined a Parkinson's staging system, which describes the regional
distribution and progression of protein aggregates in the brain. The
same year, Braak theorized that the biological process of Parkinson's
may begin in the periphery before migrating to the brain.
The Pritzker Prize has been awarded annually since 2011 by MJFF to
recognize researchers who make an exceptional contribution to
Parkinson's research as well as exhibit a commitment to mentoring the
next generation of Parkinson's scientists. Braak will receive a
$100,000 grant to advance his research in neurodegenerative diseases.
"Dr. Braak's contributions to Parkinson's research cannot be
overstated. His work has fundamentally changed our approach to
identifying the cause and the cure of Parkinson's," said Todd Sherer,
PhD, CEO of MJFF. "Today's generation of scientists owes much to
Professor Braak; he truly is a pioneer and has brought us leaps
forward in our efforts to eradicate this disease."
Braak proposed that accumulation in the brain of the protein
alpha-synuclein - a hallmark of Parkinson's - begins in nerve cells of
the olfactory bulb and medulla of the brainstem. With disease
progression, the protein aggregates also develop in the substantia
nigra and the cortex, causing cellular dysfunction and cell loss.
The Braak hypothesis, which revolutionized how researchers think about
Parkinson's disease, posits that alpha-synuclein aggregation could
begin in the nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract and migrate
from there to the central nervous system.
As motor symptoms associated with dopamine cell degeneration in the
substantia nigra are often the catalyst for diagnosis, previous
research suggested that region as the location of the disease's
origin. Braak's alternative explanation is supported by the
chronological appearance of autonomic, motor and cognitive symptoms.
His staging procedure and hypothesis have elevated research into
non-motor symptoms and alpha-synuclein levels in the periphery as a
biomarker. Furthermore, the Braak hypothesis led to the application of
a 'prion-like' theory to Parkinson's disease - purporting that
alpha-synuclein aggregates propagate and move from nerve cell to nerve
cell, spreading disease, rather than arising organically in different
areas.
"My life's work is devoted to unraveling the pathogenesis of
neurodegenerative diseases, and it is heartening to share that goal
with an organization such as The Michael J. Fox Foundation: one that
pushes forward each day with a cure for patients foremost in mind,"
said Braak.
In 1991, Braak, then professor of anatomy at the Goethe University in
Frankfurt/Main, Germany, proposed a now internationally established
neuropathological staging protocol for Alzheimer's disease, mapping
the regional patterns of tau and amyloid-beta protein aggregates in
the brain.
The Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson's Research is
made possible by Karen Pritzker, daughter of Robert A. Pritzker, and
her husband, investor Michael Vlock. Their gift provides a $100,000
grant to the Pritzker Prize recipient each year, and Pritzker and
Vlock have been generous donors to MJFF.
The prize is named in honor of the late Robert A. Pritzker, a renowned
industrialist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Pritzker was founder
of The Marmon Group and president of Colson Associates, Inc., holding
companies for a variety of manufacturing and medical businesses.
Additionally, he was an early promoter of the field of medical
engineering at his alma mater, the Illinois Institute of Technology
(IIT) in Chicago, where he also played a key role in expanding the
biomedical research community through his support of The Pritzker
Institute for Biomedical Science and Engineering at IIT.
The MJFF Executive Scientific Advisory Board served as the jury panel.
Selection criteria included: the nominee's complete body of work in
the PD field with an emphasis on its impact on accelerating drug
development; field-wide impact of the nominee's work; dedication to
patient-relevant science; and influence on and encouragement of the
next generation of PD investigators.
The award, designed by renowned artist and Parkinson's patient Tom
Shannon, was presented to Braak by Michael J. Fox at a ceremony on
April 22, 2014, in New York City.
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research As the
world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael
J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's
disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition
today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively
funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global
engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders,
clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to
funding more than $450 million in research to date, the Foundation has
fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure.
Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation
forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic
scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of
participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online
tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through
high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the
grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the
world.
For more information, visit us on the Web, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
and Pinterest.
SOURCE The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
-0- 04/22/2014
/CONTACT: Maggie McGuire, mmcguire@michaeljfox.org, 212-509-0995 ext. 295
/Web Site: http://www.michaeljfox.org
CO: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
ST: New York
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