Q&A with Thomas Kuret: A New Approach to Protect Brain Cells From Parkinson’s Disease
August 19, 2025PhRMA Foundation awardee Thomas Kuret, an MD-PhD student at Thomas Jefferson University, is researching whether activating a specific protein can prevent or reverse brain cell death in Parkinson’s disease.
Thomas Kuret wants to be a triple threat — a clinician, a researcher, and an educator. He is working toward that goal as an MD-PhD student at Thomas Jefferson University.
“I really would love to do all three,” he said. “Having my own lab with teaching responsibilities and also clinic responsibilities, where I can connect with all three populations of people that I think are really important for my work.”
Kuret received a PhRMA Foundation 2025 Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery for his research into a new treatment approach for Parkinson’s disease, a common brain disorder that makes it hard to move and control muscles.
He is exploring whether a protein called GUCY2C, found in brain cells that produce dopamine (a chemical that helps control movement), could protect cells from damage in Parkinson’s disease. Using existing FDA-approved drugs, Kuret aims to activate GUCY2C to prevent or reverse brain cell death, ultimately slowing or even stopping Parkinson’s disease.
Watch this video to learn more about Kuret and his research.
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