John Goudreau, D.O., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Neurology & Pharmacology/Toxicology

Academic Appointments

• 2006-present: Associate Professor, Neurology & Pharmacology/Toxicology, Michigan State University
• 2005-present: Director, Translational Neurobiology Unit, Neurology, Michigan State University
• 2001-2006: Assistant Professor, Neurology & Pharmacology/Toxicology, Michigan State University

Postdoctoral Training

• 2000-2001: Fellow in Movement Disorders, Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN
• 1997-2000: Resident, Neurology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN
• 1996-1997: Transitional Year, Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, AZ
• 1995-1996: Intern, Botsford General Hospital, Farmington Hills, MI

Education

• Ph.D., Neuropharmacology, Michigan State University, 1994
• D.O., Michigan State University, 1995
• B.S., Medical Technology, Lyman Briggs School, Michigan State University, 1988
• B.A., Chemistry, Michigan State University, 1988

Dr. Goudreau received his medical degree and doctorate in neuropharmacology through the D.O.-Ph.D. Program at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1995. He completed his residency in Neurology at the Mayo Clinic in 2000, where he was given the Mayo Brothers Distinguished Fellowship Award. After residency, Dr. Goudreau completed a Movement Disorders Fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, with a special interest in the genetics of movement disorders and advanced clinical training in the neurophysiology and botulinum toxin treatment of abnormal movements.

Dr. Goudreau joined the MSU faculty in July of 2001 and continues his scientific and clinical interests in Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. His research will focus on Parkinson’s disease, including evaluation of potential genetic and environmental risk factors for Parkinson’s disease as well as developing effective neuroprotective and therapeutic drugs. He is Board certified in Neurology, and is an active member of the American Academy of Neurology, Movement Disorders Society, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and the American Osteopathic Association. Dr. Goudreau is also Chair of the COMLEX Level I Committee of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners.

Research Interests

Neuroprotective treatments in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are needed to slow or halt the progressive deterioration of motor function that is associated with the relentless degeneration of nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) neurons. Advances in our understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of PD have permitted the rational identification, pre-clinical testing, and selection of target compounds for testing in clinical trials. The overall goal of my research program at Michigan State University is to develop effective neuroprotective therapies for patients living with PD. To this end, I am pursuing a vertically integrated and translational approach that incorporates A) cutting-edge basic neuroscience research to identify novel neuroprotective targets, B) in vivo efficacy and safety screening of candidate neuroprotective compounds and C) clinical trials focused on neuroprotective therapies for patients with PD.

The current research environment provides a golden opportunity to move beyond symptomatic treatment with DA replacement medications and towards therapy that has a truly enduring benefit for patients living with PD. Truly translational research requires the careful alignment of basic science investigation, pre-clinical testing and clinical trials to achieve the ultimate goal of effective neuroprotective treatments in PD.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my research.

Selected Publications

• Lincoln S, Gwinn-Hardy K, Goudreau JL, Chartier-Harlin MC, Lynch T, Hardy J and Farrer M. (1999). No pathogenic mutations in the persyn gene in Parkinson's disease. Neurosci Lett 259:65-66.
• Van Gerpen JA, Goudreau JL, Dodick DW and Gertz MA. (2002). Amyloidosis presenting with intractable epistaxis and multiple cranial neuropathies. Neurology. 55(11):1755-6.
• Goudreau JL, Wijdicks EF and Emery SF. (2002). Complications during apnea testing in the determination of brain death: predisposing factors. Neurology. 55(7):1045-8.
• Goudreau JL, Maraganore DM, Farrer MJ, Lesnick TG, Singleton AB, Hardy JA and Rocca WA. (2002). Case-control study of dopamine transporter-1, monoamine oxidase-B and catechol-O-methyl transferase polymorphisms in Parkinson's disease. Movement Disorders, published online July 12, 2002.
• Drolet RD , Lookingland, KJ., Behrouz B, Goudreau, JL. (2004) Mice lacking ?-synuclein have an attenuated loss of striatal dopamine following prolonged, chronic MPTP administration. Neurotoxicology, 25(5):761-769.
• Zheng JS, Tang, LL, Zheng SS, Zhan RY, Zhou YQ, Goudreau JL, Kaufman D, Chen AF. (2004) Delayed gene therapy of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor is efficacious in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. Mol Brain Res, 134:155-161.
• Drolet RD , Behrouz B, Lookingland KJ, Goudreau, JL. Substrate-mediated enhancement of phosphorylated tyrosine hydroxylase in nigrostriatal dopamine neurons: evidence for a role of a-synuclein. J Neurochem , 96:950-959, 2006.
• Duka, T., Rusnak, M., Drolet, R.E., Duka, V., Wersinger, C., Goudreau, J.L., Sidu, A., Alpha-synuclein induces the hyperphosphorylation of tau in the MPTP model of parkinsonism. FASEB Journal, 20:2302-2312, 2006.
• Goudreau, J.L., Medical management of advanced Parkinson’s disease, Clin Ger Med, 22:753-772, 2006.

Current Research Support

• NS051406 (NINDS) Apyocynin Neuroprotection in a Parkinson Disease Model
• NS049056 (NINDS) Neuroprotective Factors in Hypothalamic Dopamine Neurons
• NS053380 (NINDS) Michigan State University Parkinson Disease Clinical Center
• TVP01012/500 (TEVA) A Multicenter, Double-Blind, Randomized Start, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study to Assess Rasagiline as a Disease Modifying Therapy in Early Parkinson’s Disease Subjects
• ERMS 06144019 Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Research Program, US Army Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) Environmental neurotoxin exposure-induced nuclear-mitochondrial cascade mechanisms of neurodegeneration
• BI 246.622 (Parkinson Study Group/Boehringer-Ingelheim) A randomized, double-blind, active (pramipexole 0.5 mg tid) and placebo controlled, efficacy study of pramipexole given 0.5 mg and 0.75 mg bid over a 12-week treatment phase in early Parkinson’s disease patients (PramiBID)