New qualitative and quantitative tools are being developed to measure and track changes in proteins relevant for neurodegenerative disease, and these tools have the potential to accelerate drug discovery and clinical trials. In this episode, Dr. Judith Steen discusses her work creating novel qualitative and quantitative tools and workflows at the interface of proteomics and transcriptomics, including their novel FLEXI platform. This platform uses targeted, high- throughput quantitative mass spectrometry to isolate, quantify, and identify molecular changes in proteins. She describes her ongoing project, funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation, to develop FLEXISyn, which aims to track post-translational changes in alpha-synuclein to better understand how the protein becomes dysfunctional and begins misfolding and forming toxic aggregations in Parkinson's disease. Judith is Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, a member of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and Director of the Neuroproteomics Laboratory in the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center at Boston Children's Hospital.

This podcast is geared toward researchers and clinicians. If you live with Parkinson’s or have a friend or family member with PD, listen to The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast. Hear from scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's on different aspects of life with the disease as well as research toward treatment breakthroughs at https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts.