Manabu Funayama, PhD

• Parkinson's disease
• Neurogenetics

Dr. Manabu Funayama is Associate Professor of Research Institute for Diseases of Old Age, and Department of Neurology at Juntendo University in Tokyo, Japan. I received B.S. and M.S. degree in Allied Health Sciences from Kitasato University and Ph.D. in Medicine from Kitasato University in 2004. My main research focus is to identify genetic cause of Parkinson’s disease and has been working as a renowned gene hunter of familial Parkinson’s disease. In 2002, I had originally mapped PARK8 (MIM #607060) locus in which Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) was later identified (published in Ann Neurol) and has recently identified CHCHD2 (PARK22,MIM #616710) as a genetic cause of an autosomal dominant form of Parkinson’s disease in 2015 (published in Lancet Neurol). In my research carrier, I have published more than 80 original research articles in international peer-reviewed journals (average impact factor; 8.9). Awards: Since 2008, I received grants from Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology at the total 42m JPY. I was awarded Japan Society of Neurology Award 2016 with molecular genetic studies on Parkinson’s disease. In addition, I received grants from the Takeda Science Foundation (2015), and the Naito Foundation (2015).