Objective The main goal of the GENEPARK consortium is to employ innovative haemogenomic approaches to determine gene expression profiles specific for genetic and idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. These gene expression signatures will be utilised clinically as non-invasive diagnostic tests for PD. The sensitivity of the newly developed diagnostic test will be determined by extensive validations on independent cohort of PD patients, whereas the specificity will be assessed by testing patients with atypical parkinsonisms, including multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy and diffuse Lewy body disease. In order to test the specificity of the diagnostic set in other disorders that affect basal ganglia, Huntington's disease and dopa responsive dystonia patients will be analysed. The second objective of the proposal is to determine correlations between gene expression signatures and different stages of PD and thus provide the basis for early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression. These changes in blood gene expression will be correlated with alterations detected by neuroimaging in the brain of PD patients. Such combinations of molecular and morphological markers of disease may ultimately facilitate the selection and monitoring of neuroprotective therapies for PD. Finally, GENEPARK aims to develop new bioinformatic software tools for selection of genomic biomarkers using microarray data. A set of established computational tools will be applied and novel methods, some of them based on mechanistic modelling of the neurodegenerative diseases, will be developed in order to study the advantages and limitations of the different methodologies. With special emphasis on careful clinical selection of patients and sufficient power regarding patient numbers, as well as extensive quality control and validation of the data, GENEPARK aims to develop a standardised approach to development and validation of haemogenomic biomarkers of disease. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaremedical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologyparkinson Programme(s) FP6-LIFESCIHEALTH - Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health: Thematic Priority 1 under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) LSH-2005-1.2.2-2 - Development of innovative methods for diagnosis of nervous system disorders Call for proposal FP6-2005-LIFESCIHEALTH-6 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project Coordinator UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER LJUBLJANA EU contribution No data Address Zaloska cesta 2 LJUBLJANA Slovenia See on map Total cost No data Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITY OF LUEBECK Germany EU contribution No data Address Ratzeburger Allee 160 LUEBECK See on map Total cost No data MEDITERANEAN INSTITUTE FOR LIFE SCIENCES Croatia EU contribution No data Address Mestrovicevo setaliste bb SPLIT See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data PROGENIKA BIOPHARMA S.A. Spain EU contribution No data Address Parque Tecnologico Zamudio, 801-B DERIO See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data EBERHARD-KARLS-UNIVERSITY TUEBINGEN Germany EU contribution No data Address Wilhelmstr. 5 TUEBINGEN See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY Israel EU contribution No data Address Ramat Aviv 39040 TEL AVIV See on map Total cost No data RR & CO. PODJETJE ZA POSLOVNE STORITVE, D.O.O. Slovenia EU contribution No data Address Dunajska cesta 20 LJUBLJANA See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE France EU contribution No data Address 101 rue de Tolbiac PARIS See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data