Objective Parkinson\'s disease is characterized by the progressive loss of the dopaminergic neurons in thesubstantia Ingra pars compact which results in functional changes in structures of the basal ganglia such as the sub thalamic nucleus, the entopeduncular nucleus and the substantial Ingra pars reticulata. Current therapies involve dopamine pharmacological treatment, deep brain stimulation and fatal cell transplantation. Though these approaches reach significant beneficial effects, they are however hampered by numerous limiting factors such as side effects or difficulties related to the methodology. Since a few years, significant progress has been made in the field of gene therapy for Parkinson\'disease, focusing on two main strategies: the replacement of biosynthetic enzymes for dopamine synthesis and the addition of neurotrophic factors for protection and restoration of dopaminergicneurons. Although successful vehicles have been developed and efficacy and safety have been shown in various animal models of Parkinson\'s disease, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these benefits at different levels of the basal ganglia are so far incompletely known. This project will thus aim at characterizing these mechanisms particularly in the sub thalamic nucleus, entopeduncular nucleus and substance Ingra pars reticulate and evaluating the more efficient strategy which might be used inhuman therapy ursine combination of several strategies.' Fields of science medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologygenetic engineeringgene therapymedical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologyparkinsonmedical and health sciencesclinical medicinetransplantationnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes Keywords Cell Gene therapy Parkinson's disease Recombinant adeno associated virus rat transplants Programme(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Topic(s) MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF) Call for proposal FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships Coordinator LUNDS UNIVERSITET EU contribution No data Address Paradisgatan 5c LUND Sweden See on map Total cost No data