Massachusetts General Hospital

Overview

Dr. Young’s laboratory is examining the role of the protein alpha-synuclein, which plays a key role in the death of dopamine-producing brain cells in the Parkinson’s disease and other diseases with similar symptoms.

Recently Dr. Young’s laboratory has examined the biology of synuclein in a group of Parkinson-like disorders, the Multiple Systems Atrophies. These studies suggest novel mechanisms in synuclein turnover, which may be relevant for treatments targeted at this protein.

Dr. Young is the Principal Investigator of the MGH Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson’s Disease Research, which brings together scientists in several laboratories at both institutions to try to understand the molecular mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease.

In addition to her work in Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Young’s laboratory is attempting to elucidate cellular and systems mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of Huntington’s disease. In an effort to help develop therapeutic targets for human movement disorders, she is conducting studies on the vulnerability of neurons to excitotoxic injury and the selective expression of glutamate receptors in these neurons.

Her lab was also among the first to apply the new technology of large-scale DNA micro-array analysis to both Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease, revealing the importance of gene dysregulation in these disorders. Her group is pursuing the role that specific genes may play in the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

Principal Investigator

Anne B. Young, MD, PhD
Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School

Research Interests:  Huntington's disease, Parkinson’s disease

Diseases Studied: Huntington's disease, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, neurodegenerative disease

Research Scientists

Hollingsworth, Zane - Instructor, Lab Operations Manager

Gender differences in Parkinson’s disease

Drs. Anne B. Young, Ippolita Cantuti-Castelvetri and Michael Schwarzschild study gender differences in Parkinson’s disease from three different investigative approaches.

Publications on PubMed

MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease

Phone: 617-726-1278
Fax: 617-724-1480
Email: mghmind@partners.org

Public Transportation Access: yes
Disabled Access: yes

How to Apply for Positions

How to apply for jobs: Send an e-mail to mghmind-jobs@partners.org to receive an automated e-mail with full instructions for all types of positions.

Fundraising Contact

Contact Shawn Fitzgibbons in the Mass General Development office at 617-643-0447 or sfitzgibbons@partners.org.

Administration

Anne B. Young, MD, PhD
Director, Massgeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease 
Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School

Directions to MIND Research labs (PDF)

Clinical Appointments, Consultations & Clinical Trials

ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) Multidisciplinary Clinic
Phone: 617-724-3914

Dystonia Clinic
Phone:  617-643-6997

Frontotemporal Disorders Unit
Phone: 617-726-1728

Huntington's Disease Clinic
Phone: 617-724-9234

Memory Disorders Unit
Phone: 617-726-1728
Alzheimers, Dementia with Lewy Bodys, Frontotemporal dementia, Pick's Disease

Movement Disorders Unit
Phone: 617-726-5532
Dystonia, Huntingtons, Parkinsons

Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Clinic
Phone: 617-726-5532