Before therapies make it into clinical trials, they undergo a series of laboratory testing. These preclinical models of the disease may include animals, cell lines, or single cell organisms to help validate the success of a potential treatment. Additionally, preclinical models of Parkinson’s disease may help us to understand the mechanisms and the molecular or genetic pathways that control or interfere with normal and abnormal functions. Understanding the underlying disease processes is critical to targeting molecular and cellular pathways for the development of therapies. Richard Smeyne is a professor of neuroscience and director of the Jefferson Comprehensive Movement Disorder and Parkinson’s Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. His laboratory focuses on mechanisms of neurodegeneration and neuroprotection. In this podcast, he discusses the value of research on preclinical models of PD.