Soto wins Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research has awarded the 2024 Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research to Claudio Soto, PhD, professor in the Department of Neurology and director of the George and Cynthia Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders at UTHealth Houston.
The Pritzker Prize recognizes researchers who make exceptional contributions to Parkinson’s disease 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 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 in November.
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-QulC, 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 via data from JFF’s flagship Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). This assay detects misfolded alpha0synuclein, 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. “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’ 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.”
Watch the “Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research: Inspiring Hope for a World From From Parkinson’s” video featuring Soto.
About the Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research
The Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research is named in honor of the late Robert A. Pritzker, a renowned industrialist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Pritzker was founder of The Marmon Group and president of Colson Associates, Inc., holding companies for a variety of manufacturing and medical businesses. Additionally, he was an early promoter of the field of medical engineering at his alma mater, the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chicago, where he also played a key role in expanding the biomedical research community through his support of the Pritzker Institute for Biomedical Science and Engineering at IIT.
The MJFF Scientific Advisory Board serves as the jury panel. Selection criteria include the nominee’s complete body of work in the PD field with an emphasis on its impact on accelerating drug development; field-wide impact of the nominee’s work; dedication to patient-relevant science; and influence on and encouragement of the next generation of PD investigators. The award itself is designed by renowned artist and Parkinson’s patient Tom Shannon.