1. Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
Lay Progress/Final Outcomes Report
INFORMATION SUBMITTED HERE WILL BE POSTED PUBLICLY
DO NOT INCLUDE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
PRINCIPAL
INVESTIGATOR: Robert Umek, PhD
DATE: 10/5/2015
MJFF PROGRAM: Alpha-Synuclein Assay Standardization LEAPS 2014
PROJECT TITLE: Alpha-Synuclein Assay Standardization LEAPS MSD Team
Please use this form to complete a lay-oriented (eighth-grade reading level) progress/final
outcome report to be published on The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Web site in conjunction with
your previously provided abstract. The purpose of this report is to update MJFF audiences
(patients, donors and researchers) on the outcome of the science pursued in your funded
project. This report may be edited for length or clarity by a science editor at The Michael J. Fox
Foundation.
When completed, please save this document as a Word file with the PI's last name in the file
name. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT THIS FORM AS A PDF.
Please check the appropriate box:
Interim Progress Report Final Outcome Report
Lay-Oriented Progress/Final Outcome Report
Please provide a 6-10 sentence lay summary of your project’s interim progress or final outcome (as
appropriate) for publication on www.michaeljfox.org. There is no need to include a summary of your
project since this is included in the lay abstract.
MSD®
has joined other partners in an effort to standardize the way alpha-synuclein is measured
in human samples. An “assay” for measuring alpha-synuclein is built from raw materials. MSD
has performed the necessary experiments to select the best raw materials to use. In addition,
MSD has characterized multiple purchases of the raw materials, since our experience shows
that this leads to greater reproducibility of the assay. A thorough understanding of the MSD
assay will require a lengthy set of experiments called a “validation”. MSD is currently in the
process of performing those experiments.
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2. Presentations & Publications
Report (and include copies of) any presentations, abstracts, findings, or papers (submitted for
publication, in press, or published) that resulted from the work made possible by this award.