Friday, October 10, 2025

Unlocking parkinson's disease through global genetics: Learning about Dr. Mary Makarious's work

Parkinson's disease is recognized as a progressive neurodegenerative condition that impacts the brain regions responsible for movement. During our neuroscience seminar, we had the good fortune to hear Dr. Mary Makarious, a biomedical data scientist that has worked with as well as supported the GP2’s mission of understanding Parkinson's disease through genetics and diversity around the globe. She talked about her experience as a co-lead of the GP2's data and code distribution working group. Because of this experience, she works on creating privacy protocols, teaching researchers worldwide, and organizing global data release. During her talk, Dr. Makarious discussed the value of machine learning techniques, including the GenoML platform she created, and how they can be used to predict personal risks and analyze large genetic datasets to find new Parkinson's disease-related variations. She also discussed inclusivity and representation, demonstrating how genetic variations among ancestries might uncover distinct biological pathways and aid in the development of novel treatments that may be far more successful on a worldwide scale. Her work amply demonstrates the objective and expectation of employing technology and international cooperation to decipher Parkinson's disease and get as close as feasible to the most effective customized treatment. Because of this, she collaborates with organizations worldwide and uses technologies that will probably assist her in reaching her objective. Her presentation's objective was to provide us with a more thorough understanding of Parkinson's disease on a worldwide basis. She gave an article from GP2, where she works, that defined Parkinson's disease and discussed the ability of science to change one's perspective to one that is more global. She covers a number of crucial points, including the fact that more than 100 genes have been identified as contributing to risk and disease development and that Parkinson's disease is caused by a combination of hereditary and environmental variables. Mary's presentation highlights the significance of concentrating on individuals with European heritage by incorporating participants from Latin America, Asia, Africa, and other regions as part of this research issue. This will provide a sense of the precise location where this disease is most active and fires the most genes.  I think it's fascinating that Mary chose to work on such a significant subject. Numerous sources have demonstrated that genes have a unique role in the development of this illness, and in order to develop the most effective treatment, researchers must identify these genetic components and determine the most effective method of addressing them. 



Apa Citations 

The genetic link to parkinson’s disease. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2022, April 10). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/parkinsons-disease/the-genetic-link-to-parkinsons-disease

Tracking a disease on a global scale, the global Parkinson's genetic program, GP2: A new generation of opportunities. (2025). The American Journal of Human Genetics, 112(9). 


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