Mary Chapman, features writer —

With the overarching goal of helping scientists develop and test targeted therapies in Parkinson’s (PD), The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) is awarding $5 million in grants to three teams conducting genetic studies in African, East Asian and Indian populations. The funding seeks to broaden these studies in…

Leading the first national effort to address long-standing gender disparities in Parkinson’s (PD) research and care, the Parkinson’s Foundation has developed patient-centered recommendations to promote the needs women in the U.S. living with the disease. Drawn from the foundation’s two-year Women and PD…

Online forums have markedly altered how patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals communicate and connect. Even when miles apart, individuals can establish supportive relationships, share experiences and information, and sometimes simply vent. BioNews Services, a leading online health, science and research publication company, has been rolling out its…

Aware that non-contact boxing routines can improve the lives of Parkinson’s patients, Senior Helpers is sending six Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) coaches to the organization’s national conference. Senior Helpers, a leading nationwide provider of at-home care, will sponsor the Wilmington, North Carolina, coaches in attending the second annual…

The Parkinson’s Foundation has added three Centers of Excellence to its international network of expert care providers for Parkinson’s disease  patients. The new centers are the University of Colorado Movement Disorders Center, Jefferson Health’s Comprehensive Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorder Center, and Indiana University…

Grants totaling nearly $29,000 will enable the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)  to establish a free exercise program for patients with Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s-like symptoms. Some $13,924 from the Parkinson’s Foundation will go toward program staffing, training and other support. A $15,000 grant from the Philip…

The Parkinson’s Foundation has granted four U.S. institutions $8 million to design and launch Parkinson’s disease research studies over the next four years. The newly designated Parkinson’s Foundation Research Centers will get $2 million each — $500,00o annually — to support their quests to drive innovative investigative developments, and…

Continuing its support of a collaborative Parkinson’s disease (PD) study, the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) has awarded the National Centre for Excellence in Research on Parkinson’s Disease (NCER-PD) €6 million ($6.68 million) for its second phase. Comprised primarily of five research partners, the four-year-old Luxembourg-based NCER-PD is…

Widening efforts to give Parkinson’s disease patients access to high-quality speech therapy, the Parkinson Voice Project (PVP) has named the Andrews University School of Communication Sciences & Disorders (SCSD) a recipient of this year’s SPEAK OUT! & LOUD Crowd Grant Program. As is the case with all awardees, the…

A new nationwide event series aims to empower people with Parkinson’s (PD) and their caregivers to manage the disease, learn about research participation, and plug into local resources. Called “Parkinson’s IQ + You,” the effort is presented by The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF). The events seek…