The primary goal of Professor Di Monte’s research team is to identify mechanisms of neuronal degeneration that could be targeted for the prevention and treatment of human neurodegenerative diseases. Although their research is mainly focused on Parkinson’s disease, they aim to study mechanisms (e.g. protein aggregation and inflammation) and risk factors (e.g. aging) that are shared between Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative disorders. They believe that bridging different human diseases will help them understand what makes neurons vulnerable to degenerative processes and what can be done to counteract these pathologic events.