Movement disorders

Laboratory for Parkinson Research

The Laboratory for Parkinson Research investigates the molecular pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease. More specifically, the laboratory focuses on elucidating the function of the Parkin protein. Loss of function mutations in the gene for Parkin are an important cause of Parkinson’s disease. Apparently, normal Parkin is crucial to prevent people from developing Parkinson’s disease.

The lab uses a wide variety of cell biological, molecular biological and biochemical techniques to identify the mechanisms by which Parkin protects against Parkinson’s disease. This may help us find new molecular targets for disease-modifying therapy.

Contact information

Laboratory for Parkinson Research
O&N IV, Room 07.404
Herestraat 49 – box 602
3000 Leuven
Belgium
Phone:  +32 16 330023 or +32 16 373114
wim.vandenberghe@uzleuven.be

Lab members

Principal investigator

Wim Vandenberghe - CV
M.D., KU Leuven (1995)
Ph.D., KU Leuven (2001)

Ph.D. students

Tom Cornelissen
M.Sc. Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven (2010)

Caroline Fecher
M.Sc. Biomedicine, Julius-Maximilians University of Würzburg (2012)

Technicians

Stefanie Van Meensel

Former lab members

Cindy Van Humbeeck
M.D., KU Leuven (2004)
Ph.D., KU Leuven (2012)
Current position: Neurologist, Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven

Selected Publications

Van Humbeeck C, Cornelissen T, Vandenberghe W. Ambra1: a Parkin-binding protein involved in mitophagy. Autophagy 7(12):1555-1556 (2011).

Van Humbeeck C*, Cornelissen T*, Hofkens H, Mandemakers W, Gevaert K, De Strooper B, Vandenberghe W. Parkin interacts with Ambra1 to induce mitophagy. J. Neurosci 31(28):10249-10261 (2011). * Equal contribution

Van Humbeeck C, Waelkens E, Corti O, Brice A, Vandenberghe W. Parkin occurs in a stable, non-covalent, approximately 110-kDa complex in brain. Eur J Neurosci 27(2):284-93 (2008).