Parkinson’s disease (PD) may turn out to be not one disease but a group of similar conditions with different genetic risk factors, varying symptoms, and courses. Different genes may have variations between them or even variations within the same gene, with implications for symptoms, progression, and treatments. To help uncover key mechanisms responsible for PD and its progression, the Parkinson’s Foundation has launched PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson’s Disease to study the genetic makeup of 15,000 people with the disease. The two main genes targeted in the study are carried by a minority of people with PD, but they may offer insights into mechanisms of the disease that operate in the larger population. In this podcast, Parkinson’s Foundation Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Jim Beck describes the goals of this Parkinson’s study, how genes affect the course of the disease, and ultimately, how the results of the study may empower people to take better control of their disease.