Lorraine Kalia and Suneil Kalia part of ground-breaking research for delivery of therapeutic in Parkinson's disease
Research: Brain & Neuroscience
LMP's Dr. Lorraine Kalia, Associate Professor in the Division of Neurology and Dr. Suneil Kalia, Associate Professor in the Division of Neurosurgery are part of a research group leading a world-first clinical trial using focused ultrasound technology to deliver a therapeutic directly to affected brain regions in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
In this study, researchers are using low intensity MRI-guided focused ultrasound to open the blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain from toxins but can also block potentially helpful medications.
Focused ultrasound harnesses the power of ultrasound waves to reach deep brain regions without the need for scalpels or cutting.
“It’s important to remember we are still in the very early stages of this clinical trial, and while there is currently no cure for Parkinson’s, we are investigating whether using MRI-guided focused ultrasound to allow for enzyme replacement in the brain could be a promising approach to reduce or stop neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease,” explains co-principal investigator Dr Lorraine Kalia.
