Today (11th April) is World Parkinson’s Day. Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, 1 in 37 people alive today in the UK will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s in their lifetime. Annual costs resulting from Parkinson’s exceed $ 50 Billion dollars in the US alone.

An innovative gene therapy programme which could pave the way for novel treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, has been launched at the University of Sheffield in collaboration with the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult. 

Scientists at the University of Sheffield believe the pioneering study represents a significant step towards unravelling the link between high levels of physical activity and the development of the neurodegenerative condition which affects approximately 5,000 people in the UK.

A pioneering gene therapy innovation centre at the University of Sheffield is set to advance scientific discoveries into promising treatment options for millions of patients with life-threatening diseases.