Learning more about a rare form of Parkinson’s disease

If the community around us isn't strong, then we struggle to function to the best of our ability and the same can be said for our brain cells, according to student Luke Geddes.

This is why it’s important to not just keep the neurons in our brains healthy, but to also see what we can do to look after the cells which support them, he says, and he kept that in mind when spent the summer in the Department of Biochemistry, working with Dr Indranil Basak on a Parkinsons disease project in the Neurological and Lysosomal Diseases Lab.

He recently joined other University of Otago researchers to present the findings of his summer project at the 2025 Genetics Otago (Mātai Ira Ōtākou) symposium at the University of Otago. Genetics Otago is New Zealand’s primary genetics research centre, supporting over 350 members researching and studying genetics-related disciplines at the University of Otago.

Having seen first-hand the harsh realities of neurodegeneration on family members who've been affected by it, Luke is interested in what neuroscience research can offer.

His project has been looking at an extremely rare form of inherited Parkinson’s disease called Kufor-Rakeb syndrome which people as young as teenagers can experience.

Kufor-Rakeb syndrome is caused by mutations in a singular gene called ATP13A2.

“One of the things our lab is interested in is the role of astrocytes - a type of cell which typically supports neurons - while these neurons are dying in Kufor-Rakeb syndrome.

Studying a rare disease in the brain is so hard, so as a lab we grew astrocytes and neurons together to see the gene’s effect in cultured cells.

What we saw was that it’s not just mutations in neurons that cause problems -absence of the ATP13A2 gene in their support cells also has an influence.

This reminds us that a multi-faceted approach to treatment will be necessary if a cure for Kufor-Rakeb syndrome and all the other Parkinson's diseases is to be found.

We can’t just consider what we can do to keep dopamine-producing neurons healthy, but also what we can do to keep all the cells which support them healthy. In lay terms, we can't thrive without the community around us.”

Luke completed his undergraduate studies in Biochemistry in 2024 and is now taking a year away from the lab to finish off a Bachelor of Arts in French and Politics which he studied part-time alongside his Bachelor of Science.

“Building scientists with a strong ability to think critically, to communicate well and to have a global perspective is critical for science remaining relevant in the 21st century, hence why I think taking an additional year of study to bridge disciplines will be invaluable,” he says.

The studentship he has just completed has reinvigorated his desire to do more research in the field, so after he completes an exchange to Sorbonne Nouvelle at the start of 2026, Luke is thinking he would like to return to molecular neuroscience.

Kōrero by Claire Grant, Communications Advisor, School of Biomedical Sciences