Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Gasser is Director of the Dept. of Neurology at the University Hospital of Tübingen.

He is co-investigator of the project SP2: "German Dystonia Registry: Natural History, Epidemiology, Genetics, and Clinical Trial Resource"

and co-investigator of the project SP5: "Elucidation of novel genetic causes for dystonia".

He has extensive experience in the mapping and cloning of genes for monogenic neurologic disorders as well as in the analysis of genetic risk factors. In 2001, he has identified mutations in SGCE as the cause of myoclonus-dystonia. In further studies, his group defined the mutational and clinical spectrum of this disorder. In 2004, Prof. Gasser’s group identified mutations in LRRK2 as the most common autosomal-dominant forms of Parkinson’s disease.

In addition to the identification and characterization of rare genetic mutations causing Mendelian forms of PD and movement disorders, his group has also contributed to the analysis of genetic factors in sporadic disorders.