Biomarkers and basic science research • 2024 MDS Congress

[00:00:38] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:
We are at the MDS Congress and what are you, your thoughts about the Congress so far?

[00:00:44] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer:
I really like it. It's very inspiring. It's very diverse in people attending, and I like the program very much so far. It has been a lot on basic science and really, really interesting lectures I heard.
 

[00:00:57] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:
Yeah. No, that's good that you feel that that basic science, which we both like so much is being represented. So you gave a lecture yesterday.

Can you give us an overview of the topics covered in, in the session? And then in particular what you covered in your talk as well?
 

[00:01:14] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer:
Right, so that was a parallel session on prodromal Parkinson's disease, and there were several topics covered, so it was very much on biomarkers, but then also on how to deal with knowing the risk to develop Parkinson's disease and what you can do to prevent or delay the onset of Parkinson's disease if you know your risk.

So the first topic was, was covering biomarkers in terms of imaging. So that was really interesting. There are a lot of studies in the past, and that was reviewed, it was a really great talk. And then I did the fluid biomarker part, I mainly covered proteomic, there was one question why I didn't talk about metabolomic or lipidomic, and I said, yes, absolutely true,

So I mainly cover everything in 30 minutes. So, of course, I talked about the CSF SAA results also in prodromal predicting many years before the onset of Parkinson's disease. And then also the proteomic study that we are doing. And and others looking into extracellular vesicles, for example. And I was also asked to cover a little bit on microbiome, although I think this is not a true biomarker topic.

So we kind of touched the microbiome a little bit as an aspect to also increase the risk to develop neurodegeneration through gut brain barrier leakage. And that was covered in a very good plenary this morning on environmental risk and neurodegeneration.
 

[00:02:40] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:
Yeah, I was there and I was
 

[00:02:41] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer:
It was very good, right? Yeah.
 

[00:02:44] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:
Very interested in the topics covered in that session. And it's a very important topic. And so how do you think we need to behave in terms of all these environmental risks and climate change and all these things that were discussed?

Can we do something to reduce the risk?
 

[00:03:03] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer:
I think as an individual, you can do it definitely. I mean, you can also as an individual do something against the climate change. I mean, I think everybody should do this.

But as an individual, you can lower your risk. I mean, this was laid out also yesterday in the Prodromal Session really nicely with exercise and nutrition and sleep improvement.

I think that's major. I, I was intrigued by this information today about the virus load or the viral risk factors to develop PD and the difference in LRRK2 mutation carriers. I thought it was interesting. I didn't know this, but

I think this is interesting and important. And also I mean, of course it was a bit touched on microplastic as well at the very end.

But also I think. Yeah. We already had Parkinson's disease 200 years ago and there

was definitely before plastics and pesticides and things like that, but I like the comment by Bas Bloem saying that maybe the society should definitely make the point and make the industry more responsible also in terms of their compounds raising the risk to develop neurodegenerative disease.

I think it was a good remark and I think that's a good idea.
 

[00:04:12] Prof. Tiago Outeiro: 
No, I agree. I think the society has the power and can gather the voices of all of us and just make recommendations to the, the authorities that make the decisions.

[00:04:24] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer:
Yeah, absolutely.

[00:04:26] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:
But with alpha synuclein, I don't know if you know, but there are some studies that showed some, findings connecting alpha synuclein with some antiviral properties. I don't know this. It's not so recent stuff, but Right. I don't know if this relates to?
 

[00:04:42] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer: yeah. So since you know this, we are studying the nose as a port of entry of potential also viruses or other risk factors getting from the nose and then progressing towards the brain or neurodegeneration.

I think it's true that and there are also studies out, this is also not very recent, but, so, if you have a gut or maybe also a nasal infection, then obviously synuclein comes into the game and maybe is a good player against the infection, so maybe this is an expression of resistance to viruses and Yeah, it has some antiviral properties, definitely.
 

[00:05:21] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:
Yeah, I think definitely there is a lot still to learn about the function of alpha synuclein. We tend to think about it just being related to the presynapse and this connection with the trafficking of synaptic vesicles, but it's probably doing more things that we still don't know, right?
 

[00:05:35] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer:
And maybe it's actually better than we think.
 

[00:05:38] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:
Yeah, it's not just there to create problems, but it's there with a positive function as well.

[00:05:46] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer:
Yeah, so I, I think this is intriguing and we should definitely dig more into that field.

[00:05:51] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:
Now in terms of basic science at the Congress.

Have you seen a lot? I mean, we've seen some, but what's your feeling as the chair of the basic science interest group of MDS? what can we do to bring more basic scientists to the Congress and to increase basic science ?
 

[00:06:09] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer:
Yeah, as the chair, I would say there is never enough basic science and we had the networking reception yesterday evening with a lot of young attendants and they of course are still a bit complaining about the amount of clinical presentations that are here, also in terms of the posters, but I think, I mean, you in the past have done a tremendous job to change this, and I see it changing, but it's changing

slowly. But I think we need more representation of basic scientists, also in the program committees to really see more basic science lectures which we have shown some or we have seen some here at the conference already, Virginia Lee yesterday, for example, or Kordower in the neurobiology session yesterday morning.

I think these are all good steps, but it can be more. Especially what I really like about the MDS conference is really this diversity. I mean, you are also attending all these basic scientific conferences, and where is it so diverse? Where do you really see all countries on the

table? And I think that's a big chance that the MDS should really take also in terms of basic science, not only in terms of standardizing of clinical care. I know this is a very important aspect of, of the society, but also in terms of basic science. I think there can be much more with these many diverse

people around here. 
 

[00:07:39] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:
No, I agree. I think the society is uniquely positioned to really connect the two worlds if we want to think about it like that.

I mean, it's not that they are separate, but they could be more connected and, and other meetings do not serve this purpose. So I think MDS can serve the purpose of connecting basic scientists doing, you know, very fundamental research with clinicians working with the patients and trying to understand.

What the diseases are all about, and I mean, you are also a great example of someone that connects the two worlds. So, this is something that I personally think that MDS can do even more. I mean, it's trying and it's doing some, but maybe we can work together and push it so that there's more.
 

[00:08:21] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer:
I think we need to do this. I mean, also, phenotyping PD is on the one hand clinically, but then finding out that SAA synuclein is negative, this needs to be solved. And we need to really interact much more. Between scientists and clinicians and, and that's actually the forum here. We need to do that and maybe also improve that in the future congresses.

[00:08:46] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:
Any other thoughts you would like to share about the Congress, about MDS, with our listeners?

[00:08:53] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer: 
I always enjoy coming to the MDS. I enjoy this conference definitely with this wonderful program. I see all the hard work behind the scenes.

I'm always a bit too busy with too many meetings, so business meetings that hamper maybe the conversation between scientists and clinicians.

But you can also not extend that to two weeks, I know this. So it needs to be balanced and but now I really enjoy it and, and congratulate everybody who has been majorly organizing this conference. It has been really great so far.

[00:09:22] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:

So, thank you so much, Brit. It was a pleasure having you on the podcast.

And we look forward for future opportunities
 

[00:09:29] Prof. Brit Mollenhauer:
Of course, thanks a lot.
 

[00:09:31] Prof. Tiago Outeiro:
So, we have interviewed Professor Brit Mollenhauer and discussed her participation at the MDS Congress 2024.

Thank you all for listening and join us for our upcoming podcasts.