Posted: 17 September 2025
A research team from WEHI’s Parkinson’s Disease Research Centre was awarded the 2025 Eureka Prize for Scientific Research for discoveries that revealed how a key protein linked to early-onset Parkinson’s disease functions. The Eureka Prizes, presented annually by the Australian Museum, are recognised as Australia’s leading science awards celebrating excellence in research and innovation.
The winning team included Professor David Komander, Dr Sylvie Callegari, Dr Zhong Yan Gan, Dr Alisa Glukhova and Dr Nicholas Kirk. Their work uncovered the structure of the protein PINK1 and demonstrated how it attaches to damaged mitochondria to initiate recycling, solving a puzzle that had remained unanswered for more than 20 years.
Dr Sylvie Callegari explained, “It’s like the recycling manager doesn’t turn up for work so the toxic elements from damaged mitochondria build up, eventually causing neurons to die.” She added, “Discoveries like this pave the way for precision medicines in Parkinson’s disease. It will allow us to develop drugs that target specific proteins to address particular genetic mutations. We are absolutely thrilled and honoured to win this award. Our discoveries of PINK1 are a testament to years of work and persistence from every member of the team.”
Parkinson’s disease affects over 200,000 Australians and is the fastest growing neurological condition worldwide. Linked to more than 20 genes, PINK1 is among the most prominent. Current treatments manage symptoms but none are able to slow or halt disease progression.
Professor David Komander said, “The hope is that our discovery on PINK1, essentially how it can be switched on, will lead to a drug that has the ability to stop the disease progression which will be life-changing for people with Parkinson’s. By recognising the impact of our work, this prize inspires us to keep progressing our research into understanding Parkinson’s disease and ultimately finding a cure.”
The team’s findings are already informing pharmaceutical drug discovery programs, with the long-term goal of advancing new therapies into clinical trials. This research was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council, The Hugh Christopher Middendorp Testamentary Trust and a CSL Centenary Fellowship.
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