Medicon Valley Alliance and Inotiv would like to welcome you to a Good Morning Meeting on the 27th of May 2025.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting over 10 million people worldwide. It is primarily characterized by the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and subsequent disruption of basal ganglia circuitry, leading to hallmark motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, rigidity, and resting tremor. Non-motor symptoms — including cognitive decline, sleep disturbances and autonomic dysfunction — are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to the overall disease burden.
While the majority of cases are idiopathic, approximately 10% are linked to genetic mutations such as SNCA and PRKN. The etiology of PD remains incompletely understood, with genetic, environmental and toxicological factors (e.g., MPTP exposure) all implicated. Although current treatments such as L-DOPA and deep brain stimulation can help manage symptoms, no therapies are currently available that cure or halt the progression of the disease. This underscores the urgent need for novel, disease-modifying therapeutics with improved safety profiles.
To support this goal, preclinical animal models that replicate key features of human PD — such as dopaminergic degeneration, monoamine depletion and behavioral impairments — are essential tools in the drug discovery process. These models help bridge the gap between mechanistic research and clinical translation, enabling evaluation of both therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of action.
Date: Tuesday 27th of May 2025
Time: 8:30 – 11:00
Venue: Medicon Valley Alliance, Arne Jacobsens Allé 15, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark – Hub 2
Program
| 8:30 | Networking, registration and light breakfast |
| 9:00 | Welcome and introduction to Medicon Valley Alliance David Munis Zepernick, Director, Member Engagement & Communication, Medicon Valley Alliance |
| 9:05 | Introduction to Inotiv Markus Axelsson, Sales Director, Inotiv |
| 9:10 | Multimodal approaches to novel therapeutics using animal models of PD Courtney Wright, Ph.D., Associate Researcher, Lund University |
| 9:40 | Advancing Parkinson’s Drug Discovery Through Customizable Preclinical Models Christopher M. Butt, Ph.D., Senior Director of Neuroscience, Inotiv-Boulder |
| 10:10 | Q&A session |
| 10:40 | Networking |
| 11:00 | End of Good Morning Meeting |
Speakers
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Courtney Wright, Ph.D., Associate Researcher, Lund University
Dr. Courtney Wright is an early career researcher with over 14 years of research experience in neurodegenerative disease models, most specifically induction of Parkinson’s type pathology in rodent models. Courtney has utilized human iPSC xenografts, AAV-mediated and protein generated neurodegenerative models, coupled with biochemistry and multiple light microscopy techniques to better understand the progression of Parkinson’s pathology and better understand underlying mechanisms of disease initiation. |
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Christopher M. Butt, Ph.D., Senior Director of Neuroscience, Inotiv-Boulder
Dr. Chris Butt is a neurobiologist with 30+ years of experience in academic research, translational neuroscience and preclinical model development. He leads Inotiv’s neuroscience group in Boulder, CO, where he has developed over 35 in vivo models across neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. He holds a Ph.D. in neurobiology from the University of Kentucky and has worked in both academia and industry with a focus on experimental design, biomarkers, and translational CNS research. |
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