News

New MJFF, NIH grants to fund key research into early Parkinson’s

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) has awarded a $697,000 grant to a research project using preclinical models to study early Parkinson’s disease linked to mutations in the PINK1 gene. Cynthia Kelm-Nelson, PhD, a department of surgery senior scientist, will lead the three-year project…

Experts push for ways to expand Parkinson’s specialist care

A new study suggests that simple, targeted strategies, from using telehealth to standardizing patient referrals, could help more people with Parkinson’s disease get the specialized care they urgently need. With U.S. cases expected to double by 2040, researchers warn that existing healthcare inequities will worsen without immediate action. “Research…

Brain stem cell transplant patients may be able to take milder drugs

Parkinson’s disease patients who receive donor-derived brain stem cell therapy may be able to avoid potent immunosuppressant drugs without showing signs of rejection, a study in Japan suggested. The Phase 1/2 trial (jRCT2090220384) tested transplants of dopamine-producing precursor cells made from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) — stem…

New Parkinson’s Foundation pilot aims to help patients navigate trials

The Parkinson’s Foundation has launched a pilot program it hopes will make it easier for Parkinson’s disease patients who carry specific disease-related genetic variants to enroll in clinical trials testing targeted experimental treatments. The new program, dubbed PD Trial Navigator, is designed to help meet a central goal of…

Device lets Parkinson’s patients track their own motor symptoms

Stanford University researchers developed a simple, portable device that allows Parkinson’s disease patients to monitor their motor symptoms remotely, in real time, providing their doctors with updated information that can be used to guide treatment decisions. Patients tap alternating fingers for 30 seconds on the two-lever device, called KeyDuo, which…