Objective: The Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (GP2, http://gp2.org/) aims to dramatically expand the current understanding of the genetic architecture of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and to make that understanding globally relevant.

Background: We have created a steering committee and 8 working groups (WGs). These WGs have established standards and review criteria for sample/cohort inclusion, compliance for data and sample sharing, and policies relating to authorship and sharing. We have created a partnership to allow data sharing compliant with varied local regulations. We have created global training programs and we have established new programs in underrepresented populations.

Method: GP2 has worked to create a structure to enable large scale data collection, production, analysis, and dissemination. Three main scientific outcomes are prioritized 1) enabling a dramatic expansion of genetic contributors 2) accelerating and improving genetic discovery in monogenic disease and 3) making these findings globally relevant. In order to achieve these outcomes, GP2 has the following structural priorities 1) Diversity in Research and Researchers 2) Democratization of Data 3) Collaboration and Cooperation 4) Safe, Responsible Data Sharing 5) Transparency & Reproducibility and 6) Foundational, Actionable Resource Production.

Results: We have created a steering committee and 8 working groups. These working groups have established standards and review criteria for sample/cohort inclusion, compliance for data and sample sharing, and policies relating to authorship and sharing. We have created a partnership to allow data sharing compliant with varied local regulations. We have created global training programs, and we have established new programs in underrepresented populations. In the last month, we have begun our first genotyping and sequencing efforts.

Conclusion: GP2 aims to accelerate this next wave of discovery, and to make this work globally relevant, emphasizing research in underrepresented populations and enabling researchers from those populations to drive this work forward. We believe that the findings and data generated from GP2 including new PD-linked genetic associations, relationships between mutations, protective variants, commonalities, and differences in the genetics of disease in individuals of diverse ancestry can help clinicians, investigators and companies better understand who may develop PD, at what time, and to what degree.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-global-parkinsons-genetics-program-gp2-a-years-progress/