VOLUME 29, ISSUE 2 • JUNE 2025. Full issue »
Advancing Parkinson's disease research in Africa: A strategic training framework of the Global Parkinson's Genetics Program (GP2)
The prevalence of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is steadily increasing across the African continent. However, African populations remain among the most underrepresented in PD research. This disparity not only limits the potential for advancing the understanding of PD but also hinders the development of more personalized and effective treatments for people with PD in the African region.
Our article highlights the specific challenges that African neurologists and scientists face when conducting PD genetic research on the continent. Among the most significant barriers are the ongoing instability and disruptions within healthcare systems, a shortage of neurology and neuroscience experts (further contributing to what is commonly referred to as Africa’s “brain drain”), misconceptions and cultural beliefs that impact participant recruitment, and limited bioinformatics infrastructure and genomic research capacity.
Despite these challenges, our article emphasizes that promising global efforts are underway to increase research diversity and improve the landscape of PD research in Africa.
The Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (GP2) is one such initiative, playing a crucial role in enhancing research inclusivity and collaboration. We describe how GP2 supports PD research in Africa by providing much-needed resources, including genotyping and sequencing of African cohorts, as well as offering training and capacity-building at both local and global levels.
As of September 2024, 14 African countries have contributed samples to GP2. The program expects to recruit a total of 10,450 patients with PD, 11,369 healthy controls, and 23 non-affected family members or patients with atypical parkinsonism from African cohorts.
In addition to the research components, GP2’s training and capacity-building initiatives are key to addressing the knowledge gap in the region. The primary objective of this strategic training framework is to support the retention of local scientists, fostering long-term sustainability, and ensuring a lasting impact on research and innovation in the region. The program offers a range of training opportunities, from short courses to training sabbaticals. For instance, a Bioinformatics Training Workshop in Morocco on November 11-12, 2024, drew 10 attendees from 8 different African countries. Additionally, a GP2 Regional Investigators Meeting in Morocco two days later brought together 123 attendees from 31 different countries, highlighting the substantial progress made in PD research, particularly in Africa.
This article serves as a strong example of the collaborative efforts of GP2, bringing together insights from both early-career researchers and experienced principal investigators. It highlights the importance of continued collaboration and training as essential components for advancing PD research in Africa. For more information about GP2 and for a complete list of collaborators, visit https://gp2.org.
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