Parkinson's disease is the most common movement disorder, characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons from the substantia nigra and by the accumulation of intraneuronal alpha-synuclein (a-syn) inclusions called Lewy bodies. a-syn misfolding and aggregation are thought to enable aberrant protein-protein interactions and result in the formation of inclusion bodies. This culminates in the impairment of several essential cellular functions such as intracellular trafficking, protein degradation, and mitochondrial function, eventually leading to cell death. Currently there is no cure for Parkinson's disease and the available therapies are only symptomatic. Here, we outline how some of the recent molecular and genetic research might be used as the basis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.