Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and affects around 3% of elderly people. Mutations in GBA1, a gene encoding for the lysosomal enzyme β-Glucocerebrosidase, are prominent risk factors for developing Parkinson’s disease. Building on prior research in the lab, my project aims to better understanding the mechanisms leading to Parkinson’s disease. To investigate the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease and the roles GBA1 mutations may play, I use patient-derived and engineered human induced pluripotent stem cells to generate dopaminergic neurons. A better understanding of the role of GBA1 mutations in Parkinson’s disease could lead to the development of drugs to alleviate the effects of such mutations.