Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

Marisa holds a Master of Science in cellular and molecular pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. Her areas of expertise include cancer biology, immunology, and genetics, and she has worked as a science writing and communications intern for the Genetics Society of America.

Articles by Marisa Wexler

Targeting Mitochondrial DNA May Be Therapeutic Strategy

In Parkinson’s disease, DNA that leaks out of mitochondria — small organelles that generate energy — leads to cell death and inflammation, according to a new study. The finding indicates that getting rid of this mitochondrial DNA could be a promising therapeutic strategy. The study, “Cytosolic dsDNA of…

FDA Rejects Verily’s Smartwatch for Parkinson’s Assessment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected an application from Verily Life Sciences that sought to add a Parkinson’s disease symptom assessment tool to the company’s clinical research-focused smartwatch. In its response letter, the FDA said there was not enough evidence that the criteria evaluated…

FDA Approves Advanced DBS System Allowing More Personalized Care

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Medtronic‘s SenSight Directional Lead System, which offers both sensing and directional capabilities allowing for more precise use of deep brain stimulation (DBS), a widely approved surgical treatment for Parkinson’s disease. The first SenSight directional lead systems were implanted in a…

Data Support Long-term Efficacy of Nuplazid for Psychosis

Treatment with Nuplazid (pimavanserin) can ease symptoms of Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP) for up to 10 weeks, and is generally safe and well-tolerated, according to new clinical trial data. The findings were published in Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, in the study, “Efficacy results of pimavanserin…

Low-dose Sargramostim Shows Promise in Small Early Trial

Treatment with a low dose of the immune-modulating medication sargramostim was well-tolerated and eased motor symptoms in a small clinical trial of people with Parkinson’s disease. The results “provide the basis for larger scale assessments to determine clinical efficacy of a reduced sargramostim regimen within the [Parkinson’s] population,” according…

Non-motor Symptoms Determine Quality of Life After DBS

Non-motor symptoms are major determinants of quality of life (QOL) for people with Parkinson’s disease who have undergone deep brain stimulation, known as DBS, a new study reports. “Postoperative QOL was associated with non-motor symptoms … rather than motor symptoms,” the researchers found, specifically noting that patients with…

New Rasagiline Formulation May Allow Application to Skin

A new formulation of rasagiline, approved for Parkinson’s disease, may allow the therapy to be given by applying it to the skin. The treatment’s new formulation was described in the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, in a study titled “Microemulsion-based gel for the…