Today, Parkinson-related disorders, including Parkinson’s Disease, Lewy Body Dementia, and Multiple System Atrophy, are diagnosed primarily through a neurologist’s observation of coordination and motor impairment or cognitive decline. Unfortunately, these clinical symptoms often emerge one to two decades after the underlying disease processes have begun. By the time of diagnosis, therapeutic options are limited and often palliative, offering little opportunity for meaningful disease intervention. Numerous research groups now recognize the urgent need for early-stage biomarker screening. Such biomarkers are typically discovered through a deeper mechanistic understanding of disease pathology.

To support this need, the University of Washington is exploring Endogenous Retroviruses (ERVs) and their ability to drive neurodegenerative disease progression. ERVs are ancient viral sequences embedded in the human genome. These genomic remnants, typically epigenetically silenced, are reactivated (or derepressed) under cellular stress. The research is based on the premise that derepressed ERVs sustain chronic inflammation and may act as hidden drivers of neurodegenerative disease progression.

The Ellen Moss Robinson Research Fund, administered by UW, supports research on ERVs as disease modulators that fuel chronic inflammation and amplify it across all stages of the disease. By mapping ERV activity and the impact on neural and immune networks, this study aims to decode a poorly understood yet potentially transformative layer of neurodegenerative biology.

If you are interested in supporting this work, please reach out to The Ellen Moss Robinson Research Fund at the University of Washington.