The Parkinson’s Research Podcast: New Discoveries in Neuroscience

Increasing evidence supports the presence of sex and gender differences in neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. There is a critical need to more closely examine sex and gender differences in all stages of research, therapeutic development, and clinical treatment to enable better outcomes through precision medicine approaches. This episode focuses on the relevance of sex and gender factors in Parkinson's disease and efforts to transform scientific research, policy, and healthcare to identify and address needs based on sex and gender. Our guest Dr. Antonella Santuccione Chadha discusses her work with the Women’s Brain Project, their recent roundtable on enhancing care in Parkinson’s disease, and the organization's goals for the future. Antonella is a medical doctor with experience spanning positions in clinical care, academic research, the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (regulatory), and industry leadership and consultation for large pharmaceutical companies and smaller start-up companies. She is currently Co-Founder and Pro Bono Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Brain Project, an international non-profit organization studying sex and gender determinants to brain and mental health.

This podcast is geared toward researchers and clinicians. If you live with Parkinson’s or have a friend or family member with PD, listen to The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast. Hear from scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's on different aspects of life with the disease as well as research toward treatment breakthroughs at https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts.

Atypical Parkinsonian Syndromes, such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), multiple system atrophy (MSA), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and dementia with Lewy bodies are often initially diagnosed as Parkinson's disease. Incorrect, incomplete, or delayed diagnoses are barriers to beginning the most appropriate treatment early in the disease course. More research is needed to facilitate early diagnoses, understanding of disease pathogenesis, and monitoring of disease progression. However, largescale, collaborative initiatives are making meaningful progress in understanding genetic contributors to disease pathology and progression in Parkinson's disease. Our guest in this episode, Dr. Huw Morris, has spent more than twenty five years researching Parkinson's disease and parkinsonian syndromes, and he shares highlights from recent work, including studies on the genetics and pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease and other parkinsonian syndromes. Huw is Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at University College London Institute of Neurology, as well as an Honorary Consultant Neurologist at the Royal Free Hospital and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery Queen Square. 

This podcast is geared toward researchers and clinicians. If you live with Parkinson’s or have a friend or family member with PD, listen to The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast. Hear from scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's on different aspects of life with the disease as well as research toward treatment breakthroughs at https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts.

For many years, Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies have been defined using clinical features. With recent advances in biomarkers, particularly the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay that allows us to detect misfolded and aggregated alpha-synuclein in cerebrospinal fluid, it is now possible to identify the presence of pathological neuronal alpha-synuclein in living patients. With input from diverse stakeholders, a new biological definition of neuronal alpha-synuclein disease (NSD) has been proposed, along with an integrated staging system (NSD-ISS). In this interview, we discuss the development of this biologic definition for Parkinson’s disease and the staging system with Dr. Lana Chanine, one of the lead authors of the recently published manuscript in The Lancet Neurology that describes this work. It is important to note that the NSD and NSD-ISS are for research purposes only right now, and they are not ready to be implemented in the clinic. Lana is a Movement Disorders Neurologist and Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh.

This podcast is geared toward researchers and clinicians. If you live with Parkinson’s or have a friend or family member with PD, listen to The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast. Hear from scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's on different aspects of life with the disease as well as research toward treatment breakthroughs at https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts.

There is a pressing need to develop safe and effective disease-modifying and symptomatic treatments for Parkinson's disease. Through improvements in our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease, as well as genetic risk factors, new potential treatment targets have emerged. However, bringing a promising new compound from the lab through all of the steps of drug development is a long, difficult, and resource-intensive process. In recent years, collaborative efforts and advances in biomarkers have led to important breakthroughs that have the potential to facilitate the development of new drugs for Parkinson's disease. In this episode, Dr. Kalpana Merchant draws from over two decades of pharmaceutical industry experience to share progress in drug discovery and development for Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. Kalpana is President and Chief Scientific Officer at TransThera Consulting, which provides guidance on drug discovery and translational strategies to biopharma startup companies. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, a member of the Oregon Innovation Council, a Scientific Advisor at The Michael J. Fox Foundation, and she serves on advisory panels at the National Institutes of Health.

This podcast is geared toward researchers and clinicians. If you live with Parkinson’s or have a friend or family member with PD, listen to The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast. Hear from scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's on different aspects of life with the disease as well as research toward treatment breakthroughs at https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts.

In neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease (PD), patients often do not receive a diagnosis until the hallmark motor symptoms begin to manifest. This can be a decade or more after substantial changes start occurring in the brain. A major goal of the PD research field has been to develop methods for earlier detection and intervention. Over the years, there have been substantial advances in neuroimaging techniques and biological biomarkers that have allowed us to more accurately identify patients with Parkinson's disease, including the recent development of the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay. In this episode, Dr. John Seibyl discusses his early work on neuroimaging in Parkinson's disease through to the groundbreaking, large-scale clinical trials he is involved with for assessing the impacts of neuroprotective drugs for Parkinson's disease as well as Alzheimer's disease. He also shares his perspectives as a researcher and a patient with Parkinson's disease. John is Chairman of the Board, Co-Founder, and Senior Scientist of the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders in New Haven, Connecticut. He is also a board-certified physician in both Psychiatry and Nuclear Medicine, and he is an Adjunct faculty member in Neurology at Yale University School of Medicine.

This podcast is geared toward researchers and clinicians. If you live with Parkinson’s or have a friend or family member with PD, listen to The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast. Hear from scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's on different aspects of life with the disease as well as research toward treatment breakthroughs at https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts.

A substantial portion of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) have a family history of the disease, and new findings continue to improve our understanding of relevant genetic variants. These discoveries are key for clarifying the mechanisms that lead to Parkinson's disease as well as the development of new therapies. The Global Parkinson's Genetics Program (GP2) was established to gather and integrate genetic and clinical data from diverse participants around the world to expand our knowledge of the genetic architecture of PD. In this episode, Dr. Christine Klein discusses her experiences as Co-Leader of the Monogenetic Network of GP2, including the early days of setting up this large-scale collaboration, important achievements to date, and priorities and considerations going forward. She also shares recent findings from her own research on genetic variants related to Parkinson's disease. Christine is Director of the Institute of Neurogenetics and of the Section of Clinical and Molecular Neurogenetics at the Department of Neurology, as well as the Schilling Professor of Neurology at the University of Lübeck in Germany. She is also Co-Director of the Monogenetic Network of GP2. 

This podcast is geared toward researchers and clinicians. If you live with Parkinson’s or have a friend or family member with PD, listen to The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast. Hear from scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's on different aspects of life with the disease as well as research toward treatment breakthroughs at https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts.

A growing body of evidence is expanding our understanding of the links between inflammation, our immune responses, brain health, and neurodegeneration. In particular, several genes associated with Parkinson's (including LRRK2) are known to be involved in inflammation, and peripheral inflammation has been shown to influence brain function and contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Better understanding the roles of inflammation and our immune responses in Parkinson's disease is important for developing new treatments and strategies to slow or prevent disease progression. In this episode, Dr. Malú Gámez Tansey talks about her research at the intersection of immunology, neuroscience, and genetics. She describes new findings and current projects in her lab, discusses advances in neuroimmunology, and shares her insights on important areas of opportunity in the field. Malú is the Norman and Susan Fixel Chair in Parkinson's Disease, Professor of Neuroscience and Neurology, and Director of the Parkinson's Foundation Research Center of Excellence at the University of Florida College of Medicine. She's also editor-in-chief of Nature Partner Journal Parkinson's Disease.

This podcast is geared toward researchers and clinicians. If you live with Parkinson’s or have a friend or family member with PD, listen to The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast. Hear from scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's on different aspects of life with the disease as well as research toward treatment breakthroughs at https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts.

Mutations in the LRRK2 gene were first linked to Parkinson's disease (PD) risk in 2004. Since then, researchers from around the world have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms through which LRRK2 may contribute to PD, leading to the development of three potential LRRK2-targeted therapies that are now being evaluated in clinical trials. Along with colleagues and collaborators, Dr. Dario Alessi has pioneered new research and approaches that have aided in the development of drugs to inhibit LRRK2 and potentially treat people with Parkinson's disease. In this episode Dario discusses his work developing the LRRK2 kinase assay, LRRK2 Ser935 dephosphorylation assay, and Rab phosphorylation assay, as well as future directions and opportunities in the field. This year, Dario received the 2023 Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research for his substantial research contribution and his commitment to mentoring the next generation of Parkinson’s scientists. Dario is the Professor of Signal Transduction and Science Director of the Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit at the University of Dundee.

This podcast is geared toward researchers and clinicians. If you live with Parkinson’s or have a friend or family member with PD, listen to The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast. Hear from scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's on different aspects of life with the disease as well as research toward treatment breakthroughs at https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts.

For decades, researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals have continued to study and optimize deep brain stimulation (DBS) with the goal of providing the best possible personalized treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other neurological conditions. In this episode, Dr. Michael Okun joins us to discuss his research and some of the recent advances in deep brain stimulation and other areas. He draws from his extensive research and clinical experience applying DBS and neuromodulation therapies for patients with PD, Tourette syndrome, tic disorders, dystonia, essential tremor, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Michael is co-founder and co-director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida, as well as Medical Advisor for the Parkinson’s Foundation. He is a board-certified neurologist, movement disorders specialist, neuroscientist, author, and an expert on deep brain stimulation and neuromodulation for movement disorders. 

This podcast is geared toward researchers and clinicians. If you live with Parkinson’s or have a friend or family member with PD, listen to The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast. Hear from scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's on different aspects of life with the disease as well as research toward treatment breakthroughs at https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts.

Sleep impacts our lives in many different ways, and Dr. Amy Amara joins us in this episode to discuss her career and findings from her research on sleep in Parkinson’s disease (PD). She shares her insights on the characteristics of sleep in people with Parkinson’s disease, how sleep can be impacted by exercise, medications, and deep brain stimulation, and how studying rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder may be important for developing early treatments before PD motor symptoms manifest. Amy is a Professor of Neurology at CU Anschutz School of Medicine who is an expert on quantitative electroencephalography, sleep disorders, and neurodegenerative disease. 

This podcast is geared toward researchers and clinicians. If you live with Parkinson’s or have a friend or family member with PD, listen to The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast. Hear from scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's on different aspects of life with the disease as well as research toward treatment breakthroughs at https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts.