This week on Beyond the Abstract, Derek, Ellen, and fellow MD/PhD classmate Jacob are talking about Parkinson's disease. A recent paper highlights how a new drug targets astrocytes and microglia, two types of brain cells, in order to treat Parkinson's disease by reducing inflammation and brain cell death. Listen as they discuss the importance of this discovery in the field of neurodegenerative diseases and improving quality of life for Parkinson's disease patients.

Yun et al. Block of A1 astrocyte conversion by microglia is neuroprotective in models of Parkinson's disease. Nature Medicine, 2018. 24(7):931-938. PMID: 29892066.