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The Landmark programme is a new research initiative aiming to uncover the causes of Parkinson’s disease and develop potential treatments. Parkinson’s is a fast-growing neurological condition affecting about 153,000 people in the UK. It is caused by a lack of dopamine in the brain, with symptoms ranging from tremors to anxiety and even dementia. Despite its prevalence, experts still don’t know how or why Parkinson’s develops, and there are currently no treatments to stop or reverse the disease.
The Landmark project will analyze hundreds of tissue samples from the Parkinson’s UK Brain Bank to map how genes are activated in Parkinson’s across different cell types. The goal is to understand why certain brain cells are more vulnerable to the disease and to identify new drug targets. Researchers also aim to find biomarkers that could help track the progression of the disease and identify people at higher risk due to genetic mutations.
Led by scientists from Imperial College London, the study brings together a collaboration of major pharmaceutical companies, including GSK, Novartis, Roche, and UCB. It is funded by a £4 million donation from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. The programme hopes to provide unprecedented insights into Parkinson’s, particularly how the disease spreads through the brain and why some individuals develop dementia.
Professor David Dexter, director of research at Parkinson’s UK, explains that identifying genes linked to the disease will make it easier to develop targeted therapies. The findings could not only strengthen existing drug pipelines but also accelerate the development of new treatments. Ultimately, the programme’s goal is to find a cure and improve the lives of those affected by Parkinson’s.
