The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) has awarded the 2024 Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research to Claudio Soto, PhD, professor of neurology and director of The George and Cynthia Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). He is also the co-founder and chief scientific officer at AMPRION Inc. The prize recognizes researchers who make exceptional contributions to Parkinson’s disease (PD) research and are committed to mentoring the next generation of Parkinson’s scientists.
“Dr. Soto’s work has been instrumental in demonstrating that misfolded alpha-synuclein contributes to Parkinson’s,” said MJFF’s Samantha Hutten, PhD, vice president, head of translational biomarkers. “His development of the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay (αSyn-SAA) has the potential to transform clinical trials and enable early and more accurate diagnosis of Parkinson’s in a clinic setting.”
Hutten presented the prize to Soto at the Foundation’s Research Roundtable event in New York City on November 16, 2024.
Soto is a prominent neuroscientist specializing in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. His research primarily focuses on the misfolding and aggregation of proteins which are critical players in neurodegenerative diseases. Soto’s work has significantly advanced the understanding of protein misfolding as a marker of diseases like Parkinson’s.
Soto invented and developed the patented Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification (PMCA), also known as RT-QuIC, for ultra-sensitive detection of misfolded proteins. This technology paved the way for a significant contribution to Parkinson’s research — the development and validation of the alpha-synuuclein seed amplification assay (SAA) via data from MJFF’s flagship Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). This assay detects misfolded alpha-synuclein, a hallmark of Parkinson’s, through testing of spinal fluid, allowing for the early detection of the disease. Soto’s work has contributed to the revolution of Parkinson’s research, providing a tool for identifying the disease at earlier stages, improving understanding of the mechanisms behind alpha-synuclein aggregation and changing the way therapies are being developed.
The Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research, awarded annually by MJFF since 2011, was established by Karen Pritzker, daughter of Robert A. Pritzker, and her late husband, investor Michael Vlock. The longtime unwavering support of MJFF donors Pritzker and Vlock provides funding for the award. This year, a $200,000 research grant will be awarded.
“Over the years, I have had a great collaboration with The Michael J. Fox Foundation and I’m very grateful for all the support that makes a key difference in research and discovery,” said Soto, who is the Huffington Foundation Distinguished Chair in Neurology at UTHealth Houston. “I’m convinced that the seed amplification assay is one big breakthrough that will allow us to identify patients early on and give us an opportunity to develop treatments to cure Parkinson’s disease. It will allow us to examine the disease in a different way and see what is going on in the brain more than the clinical symptoms itself.”
