Singapore, Dec 07, 2011: Thomson Reuters, the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals and the global leader in scientific information, has announced that it has received a grant from The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to create and publish the world’s most comprehensive source of biological maps for Parkinson’s disease (PD).

The project aims to identify possible causes of Parkinson’s disease by mapping biological mutations of the Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) protein, the most common genetic cause of the disease discovered to date. The maps trace the disease’s biological pathways to pinpoint relevant biomarkers, which are biological molecules that signal an abnormal process or disease. They also support the drug discovery process for treating PD.

"Researching the LRRK2 protein is a top priority for our foundation," said Brian Fiske, director of research programs at MJFF. "We are committed to providing valuable tools, such as those from Thomson Reuters, for the research community to visually depict LRRK2 research data in useful and comprehensible formats."

Thomson Reuters creates biological maps using the highest quality scientific literature data that is manually annotated using the business’s proprietary curation methods. The data selected for the maps is evaluated based on select criteria to ensure exceptional depth, breadth and quality of information for the researchers using it.

"The pathway maps and unique content Thomson Reuters is developing for the MJFF project are especially valuable in shedding light on Parkinson’s disease and its cause," said Jon Brett-Harris, executive vice president, Life Sciences, Thomson Reuters. "The maps will provide PD researchers with a resource to reveal the mechanisms behind the disease and further extend the drug discovery process. We are honored to have the opportunity to work with the MJFF on this critical program."