Patricia InĂ¡cio, PhD,  science writer—

Patricia holds her PhD in cell biology from the University Nova de Lisboa, Portugal, and has served as an author on several research projects and fellowships, as well as major grant applications for European agencies. She also served as a PhD student research assistant in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University, New York, for which she was awarded a Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) fellowship.

Articles by Patricia InĂ¡cio

Gut Microbiome of Patients Favors Inflammation, Study Suggests

People with Parkinson’s disease appear to have a gut microbiome — the population of microorganisms living in the intestines — that is shifted toward a pro-inflammatory state, a small study suggests. Looking particularly at a pro-inflammatory gut bacterial metabolite called trimethylamine (TMA), its researchers found significantly higher…

Dosing Begins in Phase 2b Study of Oral BIIB122/DNL151

A Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating the investigational oral therapy BIIB122/DNL151 for the treatment of people with Parkinson’s disease has started dosing patients. The LUMA study (NCT05348785), led by Biogen in collaboration with Denali Therapeutics, is one of two late-stage trials planned for this year to further evaluate BIIB122/DNL151…

Immunotolerance Molecules Show Promise in Mouse Model of PD

Preclinical research supports the potential of small molecules that modulate the immune system to halt Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression and ease motor symptoms. According to a new study, Aeterna Zentari’s autoimmunity-modifying biologicals (AIM Biologicals) were able to induce a state of immunotolerance in a mouse model of Parkinson’s…

Vocal Changes May Be Caused by Alpha-synuclein Clumps: Study

Insoluble clumps of the alpha-synuclein protein accumulating in the brain — a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease — can affect patients’ voice, with changes likely occurring years before they develop motor symptoms, a new study suggests. The research, which used the zebra finch — a songbird native to Australia —…

AI Platform Shows Potential in Diagnosing Patients at Early Stages

PreciseDx’s artificial intelligence (AI) platform shows an ability to accurately diagnose Parkinson’s disease in people before they develop severely evident symptoms, according to a new study. Conducted in collaboration with The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), the study’s findings support the platform’s potential to aid in diagnosing Parkinson’s and allowing patients to begin…