BENGALURU: China is projected to have over half of the new cases of Parkinson’s disease diagnosed in the next decade, Nobel Laureate Prof. Randy Schekman has warned. The American cell biologist, optimistic about his ongoing research program on the disease, expressed confidence that his work will lead to breakthroughs improving the lives of those affected.
Speaking at the Infosys Science Foundation’s Infosys Prize 2025 event on Saturday in Bengaluru, Schekman said, “It is not simply because of better diagnosis. It may be due to environmental toxins and gene mutations.”
He added, “It is likely that 80% of Parkinson’s patients develop the disease through a sporadic process, which I suspect is linked to some environmental toxin.”
Schekman noted that China may face particular challenges in controlling these toxins, though other countries are also at risk. He explained that in Parkinson’s patients, “Over half of a set of cells in the brain called dopaminergic neurons, which are located in the midbrain region known as the substantia nigra, have died.”
Highlighting an interesting research observation, he said that Parkinson’s patients often lose their sense of smell, which can persist for years before other symptoms appear. He shared that his wife, Nancy Walls, had also experienced a loss of smell.
Schekman’s personal connection to Parkinson’s research stems from his wife’s diagnosis at the age of 44. “But out of this came something quite miraculous. I was approached by the Chief Financial Officer of the Sergey Brin Family Foundation to help develop an international program for basic research on Parkinson’s,” he said.
Providing an update on his seven-year-long research initiative, Schekman explained, “We identified 35 teams and 163 laboratories worldwide, forming a well-balanced group with many early-career investigators. Funds were distributed to 80 institutions across 14 countries.”
He further stated that the foundation has committed over a billion dollars for Parkinson’s research over the next five years. Optimistic about the program’s potential impact, Schekman said, “When I step away from this program in five years, I am confident that it will leave behind breakthroughs that will make a real difference in the lives of those affected.”
The Infosys Prize 2025 was awarded to six individuals: Nikhil Agarwal (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Economics), Sushant Sachdeva (University of Toronto, Engineering and Computer Science), Andrew Ollett (University of Chicago, Humanities and Social Sciences), Anjana Badrinarayanan (National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, Life Sciences), Sabyasachi Mukherjee (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Mathematical Sciences), and Karthish Manthiram (California Institute of Technology, Physical Sciences). Each winner received a 50-gram gold medal and a prize of $100,000.