A research team led by Malú Gámez Tansey, PhD, professor of neurology at Indiana University School of Medicine, has received a $9 million grant to investigate immune-cell exhaustion in both sporadic and inherited forms of Parkinson’s disease. Supported by Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) and The Michael J. Fox Foundation, the project is part of the international Collaborative Research Network (CRN), which aims to address key challenges in Parkinson’s research.

ASAP is expanding the CRN to map the biological basis of Parkinson’s disease and create standardized resources that can accelerate the development of new diagnostics and therapies. The initiative focuses on understanding why Parkinson’s disease differs from person to person and reducing barriers that have slowed drug discovery.

Because aging is the greatest risk factor for Parkinson’s disease, the researchers will explore how immune-cell exhaustion—an age-related decline in immune function—may contribute to disease development. They will also examine the impact of lifestyle and environmental factors on Parkinson’s, which affects more than 1.1 million Americans and generated an estimated $82 billion in healthcare and caregiving costs in 2024.

The ultimate goal is to use insights into immune aging to identify individuals at higher risk and develop personalized therapies that target abnormal immune processes, similar to precision medicine approaches used in cancer treatment.

The collaboration brings together experts from Indiana University, Columbia University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Tulane University, combining expertise in neuroscience, immunology, biostatistics, and clinical care. Key investigators include Rebecca Wallings, DPhil; Elizabeth Bradshaw, PhD; Richard Smeyne, PhD; and Catherine Weindel, PhD.

Wallings and her team will focus on how immune-cell “burnout” changes over time and whether these alterations influence Parkinson’s onset and progression. Their work aims to identify biomarkers that could improve early diagnosis, monitor disease progression more accurately, and guide targeted therapies.

Additional contributors from Indiana University include Travis S. Johnson, PhD, who will serve as data manager and collaborating principal investigator, along with Andrea R. Merchak, PhD, and Nicole R. Fowler, PhD. Together, the team hopes that this collaborative effort will provide a deeper understanding of Parkinson’s disease and lay the groundwork for future immune-based therapies.

Source: https://medicine.iu.edu/news/2026/06/parkinsons-immune-cell-aging-grant