The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson's Podcast

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.

Mentioned in this episode:

This podcast episode was part of a limited series created by The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2023 and 2024 for clinicians and researchers in our audience. These episodes provide a deeper dive into exciting new scientific research in Parkinson’s disease, as well as innovative tools and valuable resources, through conversations with a variety of experts in the field. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

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.

Mentioned in this episode:

This podcast episode was part of a limited series created by The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2023 and 2024 for clinicians and researchers in our audience. These episodes provide a deeper dive into exciting new scientific research in Parkinson’s disease, as well as innovative tools and valuable resources, through conversations with a variety of experts in the field. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

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.

Mentioned in this episode:

This podcast episode was part of a limited series created by The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2023 and 2024 for clinicians and researchers in our audience. These episodes provide a deeper dive into exciting new scientific research in Parkinson’s disease, as well as innovative tools and valuable resources, through conversations with a variety of experts in the field. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

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.

Mentioned in this episode:

This podcast episode was part of a limited series created by The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2023 and 2024 for clinicians and researchers in our audience. These episodes provide a deeper dive into exciting new scientific research in Parkinson’s disease, as well as innovative tools and valuable resources, through conversations with a variety of experts in the field. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

In this episode, serial entrepreneur Dr. Karoly Nikolich shares his perspectives on the industry side of the state of neuroscience, as well as areas of opportunity and the role of industry in advancing the field. He also discusses recent major breakthroughs, the importance of industry partnerships, including collaborations with The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), and how he is working to advance Parkinson's disease research through his work at Alkahest and other endeavors. Karoly is a scientific advisor at Bayshore Global Management and at Pivotal Bioventures. In addition, he is Chairman and Executive Advisor at Alkahest Inc., and also an Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University. Karoly has extensive expertise in the biotech and neuro-therapeutics industries, and he also manages his foundation, the Scholar Nikolich Foundation.

Mentioned in this episode:

This podcast episode was part of a limited series created by The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2023 and 2024 for clinicians and researchers in our audience. These episodes provide a deeper dive into exciting new scientific research in Parkinson’s disease, as well as innovative tools and valuable resources, through conversations with a variety of experts in the field. We hope you enjoy the conversation.