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Sept. 2, 2025
Scientists reveal brain signaling that sets Parkinson’s disease apart from essential tremor
Researchers have identified a neurochemical signature that sets Parkinson’s disease apart from essential tremor — two of the most common movement disorders, but each linked to distinct changes in the brain.
In a new study published Tuesday in Nature Communications, scientists from Virginia Tech's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and the College of Science identified unique chemical signaling patterns of two key neurotransmitters — dopamine and serotonin — that distinguish these two disorders.
“This study builds on decades of work,” said Read Montague, a scientist at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and a co-senior author, who with colleagues developed the multifaceted technologies and the theoretical constructs for the work over their 15 years at the research institute.
Campus news
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Meike van der Heijden appointed to Dystonia Foundation’s medical and scientific advisory council , articleCouncil members are international leaders in dystonia care and research. They review research grants for funding and attend workshops to discuss the most pressing research directions.
Creating a healthier future. For everyone.
The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is one of the nation’s fastest-growing academic biomedical research enterprises and a destination for world-class researchers. The institute’s Virginia Tech scientists focus on diseases that are the leading causes of death and suffering in the United States, including brain disorders, heart disease, and cancer. Since its founding in 2010, the research institute has experienced unprecedented growth: doubling its enterprise and lab facilities in Roanoke, while also investing in brand-new laboratories on the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus in Washington, D.C.
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Redirect ItemAcademic Minute: How mice and maybe humans deal with stressful situations , redirect Date: Sep 03, 2025 -
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VIDEOS
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Dissertation Defense: Investigating the Interaction Between the Mammalian Circadian Clock and Extracellular Vesicles in the Progression of Pancreatic Cancer , homeSept. 5, 2025, 10 a.m. | Jonathan Church | Graduate Student Dissertation Defense
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Inheriting Chromatin Domains in Mammals and the Mechanisms Involved , homeSept. 5, 2025, 11:00 a.m. | Thelma Escobar, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington | Co-Sponsored by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and Cancer Research Center — D.C.
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Flow Induced Endothelial Planar Polarity for Signaling Regulation , homeSept. 19, 2025, 11:00 a.m. | Julia Mack, Ph.D., Assistant Adjunct Professor, David Geffen School of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California Los Angeles | Co-Sponsored by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Center for Vascular and Heart Research
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Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture , homeSept. 18, 2025, 5:30 p.m. (Reception at 5 p.m.) | Robert Gourdie, Ph.D., FAHA, AIMBE, Heywood Fralin Professor and Director, Center for Vascular and Heart Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute; Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech College of Engineering; Elected Member, National Academy of Inventors | Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture
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The Bitter Truth: Alcohol Use and Its Effects on Chemosensory Function , homeOct. 3, 2025, 11:00 a.m. | Paule Valery Joseph, Ph.D., Lasker Clinical Research Scholar, NIH Distinguished Scholar; Acting Chief, Section of Sensory Science and Metabolism Unit, Co-Director of the National Smell and Taste Center, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders; National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health | Co-Sponsored by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Center for Health Behaviors Research and Addiction Recovery Research Center
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Organization and Control of Hippocampal Networks , homeOct. 17, 2025, 11:00 a.m. | Ivan Soltesz, Ph.D., James R. Doty Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurosciences, Stanford University | Co-Sponsored by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Center for Neurobiology Research
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