Andrea Lobo,  —

Andrea Lobo is a Science writer at BioNews. She holds a Biology degree and a PhD in Cell Biology/Neurosciences from the University of Coimbra-Portugal, where she studied stroke biology. She was a postdoctoral and senior researcher at the Institute for Research and Innovation in Health in Porto, in drug addiction, studying neuronal plasticity induced by amphetamines. As a research scientist for 19 years, Andrea participated in academic projects in multiple research fields, from stroke, gene regulation, cancer, and rare diseases. She authored multiple research papers in peer-reviewed journals. She shifted towards a career in science writing and communication in 2022.

Articles by Andrea Lobo

Could immune system ‘exhaustion’ contribute to Parkinson’s?

As people age, the immune system ages with them, becoming more sluggish and ineffective — a change that could contribute to Parkinson’s disease, Rebecca Wallings, a 2024 Parkinson’s Foundation Launch Award grant recipient, suggests. “As you age … your immune cells can become exhausted … slow, sluggish, and…

EU agency say no trials of mesdopetam in children are needed

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), which evaluates the safety and efficacy of new drugs in the European Union, has waived a requirement that would have had Irlab Therapeutics conducting clinical trials testing mesdopetam — its therapy candidate for levodopa-induced dyskinesia, or uncontrolled, involuntary movements common in Parkinson’s disease…

Sex or gender disparities clear in Parkinson’s, need attention: Report

Parkinson’s disease research and care should address disparities by sex and gender in patients’ symptoms, treatment responses, and disease progression, scientists across Europe and North America state in a commentary. While sex refers to assigned biological differences between males and females, gender refers to how a person identifies, affecting…

Wireless DBS rallies neuron activity, motor function in Parkinson’s mice

A nanoparticle-based wireless deep brain stimulation (DBS) system restored the activity of degenerating neurons and increased dopamine release in cellular and mouse models of Parkinson’s disease, a study shows. The technology also eliminated alpha-synuclein clumps, a hallmark feature of the disease, and improved the animals’ motor abilities. According…

Medtronic’s adaptive DBS system receives CE mark in Europe

Medtronic’s BrainSense adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) system and electrode identifier have received CE Mark approval in the European Union (EU) and the U.K. for the management of Parkinson’s disease. CE Mark approval indicates that the European Commission, the EU’s regulatory body, considered Medtronic’s system to meet…

Listener training study wins grant to help patients communicate

A research project that’s designed to help improve communication for people with Parkinson’s disease by focusing on listener training has been awarded a $2.6 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The funding will help researchers implement a structured listener training program and test its effectiveness in…