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

Nanobody Has Potential to Combat Alpha-synuclein Clumps

A miniature antibody-like molecule called a nanobody effectively broke up toxic alpha-synuclein aggregates that are characteristic of Parkinson’s disease, and prevented the spread of these aggregates in the brains of mice in a disease model. The novel construct was described in the journal Nature Communications, in the study, “…

Kynmobi Does Not Significantly Alter Heartbeat, Study Finds

Treatment with Kynmobi (apomorphine hydrochloride), an approved under-the-tongue therapy for “off” episodes in Parkinson’s disease, does not substantially alter heartbeat dynamics at approved doses, according to new clinical trial data. The study, “A Randomized Thorough QT Study of Apomorphine Sublingual Film in Patients With Parkinson’s…

Genetic Analysis Links Psoriasis With Faster Disease Progression

Among people with Parkinson’s disease, those with the skin disease psoriasis tend to experience slightly faster disease progression, according to a new analysis of genetic data. “These findings provided a better understanding of the role of psoriasis in the pathogenesis [disease development] of [Parkinson’s], and had clinical implications for…

Gut Microbiome of Parkinson’s and Healthy Twins Largely Similar

Among pairs of genetically identical twins, one with Parkinson’s disease and the other twin without it, minimal variation is evident in the makeup of bacteria living in the digestive tract, according to a new study. This finding highlights the role of person-to-person variability in influencing the gut microbiome, which researchers…

New Method Detects Degeneration in Brain Region Key to Movement

Scientists have developed a new technique that can detect Parkinson’s disease-related degeneration in a part of the brain, called the striatum, that’s key to movement. This type of analysis — which can be done for individuals with early-stage Parkinson’s — will allow researchers to distinguish different subgroups within this…