The Parkinson’s Research Podcast: New Discoveries in Neuroscience

In this short episode, host Dr. Marie McNeely shares updates about the podcast and provides listeners with more information on how they can stay connected with MJFF for future podcast episodes as The Parkinson’s Research Podcast merges with The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast.

Visit https://www.michaeljfox.org/podcasts for more great podcast episodes, and you can also find the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, and other podcast platforms. Be sure to subscribe to our Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

It is widely known that a healthy diet can provide essential nutrients and lead to a multitude of benefits, but growing evidence has highlighted important links between diet, nutrition, and brain health, particularly related to neurodegenerative disease. In this episode, Dr. Puja Agarwal discusses her research investigating the role that diet and nutrition may play in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. Evidence from her studies and the work of others suggests that certain diets, including the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet, are associated with brain health and may have the potential to delay the onset or slow progression of Parkinson's disease or other neurodegenerative conditions. We hear more about her ongoing MJFF-funded research project examining the role of diet in the progression of parkinsonian signs and its association with Lewy body pathologies, as well as future directions for this exciting line of research. Puja is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush University.

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 at michaeljfox.org/podcasts. We’re excited to announce that we will be merging our two podcasts in 2025, and we invite you to subscribe to our Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts for future episodes featuring scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's talking about different aspects of life with the disease as well as new research toward treatment breakthroughs.

Parkinson's disease significantly impacts various aspects of communication, and this can make it challenging for people with the disease to communicate effectively, be understood by others, and engage in social situations. Dr. Gemma Moya-Galé joins this episode to talk about her work on voice and communication in people with Parkinson’s disease. In particular, she discusses a novel app she and her team are developing, with funding from The Michael J. Fox Foundation, to help people with Parkinson’s improve how well their speech is understood. The app uses evidence-based principles from speech therapy and noise-augmented automatic speech recognition to provide speech training and feedback. She also shares her recent research on linguistically and culturally responsive methods for addressing communication challenges in both English- and Spanish-speaking individuals with Parkinson's disease, and how this approach has the potential to improve clinical care. Gemma is an Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, as well as the Director of the Communication, Technology, and Language Diversity Lab at Teachers College, Columbia University.

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 at michaeljfox.org/podcasts. We’re excited to announce that we will be merging our two podcasts in 2025, and we invite you to subscribe to our Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts for future episodes featuring scientists, doctors and people with Parkinson's talking about different aspects of life with the disease as well as new research toward treatment breakthroughs.

Certain populations are disproportionately affected by neurological diseases, including Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. A lot of work remains to be done to improve brain health outcomes and promote healthy brain aging across the lifespan, particularly for minoritized, underrepresented populations. Including participants from diverse backgrounds in research helps ensure that the results from studies and clinical trials in the field are valid, generalizable, and representative of all individuals affected by these diseases. 

In this episode, Dr. Monica Rivera-Mindt discusses brain health inequities in neurodegenerative diseases, her work using culturally informed community-engaged research methods to improve representation in research studies, important gaps in the literature, lessons learned from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) Diversity Task Force that could be applied in Parkinson's disease research, and more. Monica is Professor of Psychology, Latinx studies, and African and African American studies at Fordham University, and she has a joint appointment as Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is also a board-certified neuropsychologist.

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.

Alpha-synuclein plays a key role in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease, and researchers have been investigating this protein as a therapeutic target and also as a potential biomarker for the disease. The alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay, developed by Dr. Claudio Soto and colleagues, leverages the self-replicating nature of the misfolded alpha-synuclein proteins that form aggregates in Parkinson's disease. Amplifying misfolded alpha-synuclein can allow researchers and clinicians to detect the presence of the pathological form of the protein in biospecimens, even when the amount of misfolded alpha-synuclein in a sample is very low. In this episode, Claudio discusses his work in this area and how it has opened the doors for a variety of potential uses of the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay, including applications in diagnosis, clinical trials, and drug development for Parkinson's disease.

This year, Claudio received the 2024 Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research for his substantial contributions to research and his commitment to mentoring the next generation of scientists in the field. Claudio is the Huffington’s Distinguished University Chair, Professor of Neurology, and Director of the George and Cynthia Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders at The University of Texas Medical School in Houston. He is also the Founder, Vice-President, and Chief Scientific Officer at AMPRION Inc.

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.

To help meet the growing global need for more movement disorders specialists, The Michael J. Fox Foundation created the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders in collaboration with longtime partner the Edmond J. Safra Foundation. This program supports the training of movement disorders specialists who will provide expert care and drive advances in Parkinson's research. The program is positively impacting early-career clinician-researchers, as well as the centers where they train. These impacts will continue to grow over the years as more fellows are trained. In this episode, Dr. Marcelo Merello and Dr. Sergio Castillo-Torres share their insights and perspectives as a Fellowship Director and a Fellow in the program, respectively. 

Marcelo is Director of the Department of Neurosciences and Chief of the Movement Disorders Clinic at the Institute for Neurological Research or Fleni Hospital. He is fellowship Director at Fleni and the University of Buenos Aires. In addition, Marcelo is Principal Investigator with the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research and Professor of Neurodegenerative Diseases at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina. Sergio is an Associate Professor in Neurology and Internal Medicine at the Dr. Jose E. Gonzales University Hospital of the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon. He was an Edmond J. Safra Fellow in Movement Disorders at Fleni Hospital. Visit michaeljfox.org/fellowship to learn more about the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in 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.

Stem cell models derived from patients with Parkinson’s disease are valuable tools that are helping researchers around the world to better understand the underlying causes of neurodegeneration and to develop biomarkers and new therapies. To maximize the potential impacts of these tools, it is critical that they are developed and shared according to the principles of open science. In her interview, Dr. Birgitt Schüle discusses her work developing alpha-synuclein cell lines, challenges and opportunities in the field, and important considerations surrounding open science. She goes in-depth on how the cell lines were developed, characterized, and deposited with the American Tissue and Cell Collection (ATCC) with funding support from The Michael J. Fox Foundation, as well as how these cells can be used to fuel future discoveries. Birgitt is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine and Co-Director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Neuropathology, and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) Core. 

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.

New qualitative and quantitative tools are being developed to measure and track changes in proteins relevant for neurodegenerative disease, and these tools have the potential to accelerate drug discovery and clinical trials. In this episode, Dr. Judith Steen discusses her work creating novel qualitative and quantitative tools and workflows at the interface of proteomics and transcriptomics, including their novel FLEXI platform. This platform uses targeted, high- throughput quantitative mass spectrometry to isolate, quantify, and identify molecular changes in proteins. She describes her ongoing project, funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation, to develop FLEXISyn, which aims to track post-translational changes in alpha-synuclein to better understand how the protein becomes dysfunctional and begins misfolding and forming toxic aggregations in Parkinson's disease. Judith is Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, a member of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and Director of the Neuroproteomics Laboratory in the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center at Boston Children's Hospital.

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.

Substantial research has focused on identifying biomarkers for the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) as well as monitoring progression of the disease. In developing these biomarkers, it is critical for scientists to consider how the biomarkers will ultimately be used in the clinic and in clinical trials research. In this interview, Dr. Charles (Chuck) Adler shares his perspectives on how biomarkers are currently being used in clinical and research contexts, and what it would take for him to use them more often in clinical practice. He also discusses how groundbreaking collaborative research studies, including the Arizona Study of Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders and the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), are having major impacts on the field. Chuck is Consultant and Professor of Neurology in the Department of Neurology and The Wayne and Kathryn Preisel Professor of Neuroscience Research at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

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 disturbances, such as insomnia, sleep fragmentation, excessive daytime sleepiness, and REM sleep behavior disorder are common in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Poor sleep quality can also impact other domains of function, including motor function. Prior research has shown that a type of photoreceptor cell in the retina, called melanopsin cells, provide the main light signals to the brain to initiate sleep, and function of these cells is impaired in PD. Dr. Beatix Feigl and her colleagues developed a novel light therapy intervention that selectively activates the melanopsin photoreceptor cells, and in this episode, she discusses the results of a recent randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of this melanopsin photoreceptor-directed light therapy on sleep and circadian rhythm, as well as motor behaviors. She also discusses her earlier work on melanopsin cells that led to the development of standard measures to assess their function. Beatrix is an Ophthalmologist and an Associate Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Vision and Eye Research, as well as the Faculty of Health, at the Queensland University of Technology.

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.

Though existing evidence supports that dysfunction in the clearing of cellular debris plays an important role in the development of Parkinson's disease, many unanswered questions remain regarding the mechanisms of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway involved in this process. In particular, research in the field has been limited by a lack of reliable, quantitative tests for monitoring autophagy-lysosome activity. In this interview, Dr. Zhenyu Yue describes his research investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms for Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on their work examining the regulation of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway, potential therapeutic targets, and MJFF-funded research that aims to develop sensitive, robust autophagy-lysosome assays to facilitate the discovery of biomarkers for PD using stem cell-derived neurons and biofluids. Zhenyu is the Aidekman Research Professor in the Department of Neurology and Friedman Brain Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He is also the Director of the Center of Parkinson’s Disease Neurobiology and Director of Basic Research of Movement Disorders at Mount Sinai.

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.

Evidence supports that dysfunction in the homeostasis of iron and other elements likely contributes to the pathophysiological mechanisms of Parkinson's disease, but we have yet to develop suitable elemental biomarkers for use in diagnosing and monitoring the progression of Parkinson's disease. Dr. Paul Lingor discusses his work in this area to identify patterns of bioelements in CSF that could serve as PD biomarkers. Beyond CSF, he is also examining tear fluid as a potential biomarker source that is easier to collect. In addition to work on biomarkers, Paul has been involved in developing and evaluating new treatments for Parkinson's disease. In this episode, he discusses an ongoing phase II clinical trial evaluating the ROCK inhibitor Fasudil, as well as research examining combinations of advanced therapies for people with later-stage Parkinson's disease. Paul is Professor of Neurology at the Technical University of Munich and head of the outpatient clinics for motor neuron disease and co-head of the outpatient clinics for 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.

Identifying reliable biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonism would have substantial impacts on clinical trials and clinical practice. A particularly active area of research is the development of novel molecular imaging biomarkers that can be used in combination with common neuroimaging approaches. Dr. Antonio Strafella discusses current practices for using molecular imaging biomarkers in research and in the clinic, the process of developing new biomarkers, as well as promising biomarkers that are in development. He also discusses limitations, implementation challenges, and the potential use of AI to enhance diagnostics in the future. Antonio is the Krembil-Rossy Chair in Molecular Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Professor in the Department of Medicine within the Division of Neurology at the Toronto Western Hospital (University Health Network, University of Toronto). He also serves as Director of Clinical Research and Translation with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University Toronto, and he is a movement disorder neurologist in the Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson’s Disease and Morton & Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic at the Toronto Western Hospital.

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.

Prior studies have established links between poor olfaction and Parkinson's disease, and impaired sense of smell is a common prodromal symptom of Parkinson's disease. The causes and mechanisms of prodromal neurodegeneration are actively being researched. However, environmental exposure to pesticides or other chemicals may trigger or modify the course of neurodegeneration, potentially leading to the development of Parkinson's disease over time. In this episode, Dr. Honglei Chen shares his research on environmental causes of neurodegenerative diseases, focusing particularly on evidence linking olfaction, environmental exposure, and Parkinson’s disease. Better understanding how environmental factors may contribute (alone or in combination with genetic factors) to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease may lead to new approaches to prevent or slow the progression of neurodegeneration. Honglei is the MSU Research Foundation Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Michigan State University.

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.

Gait impairments such as slow speed, small steps, and high variability from step to step are common in people with Parkinson's disease, and these changes begin to occur early in the course of disease. Freezing of gait may develop later for some individuals, and it has been linked to falls and other adverse outcomes. When the quality of walking declines, it can lead to a reduction in the quantity of walking and overall physical activity, which is also related to poorer health outcomes. To prevent this cascade of events, Dr. Gammon Earhart is developing and evaluating interventions to improve gait and increase physical activity in People with Parkinson's disease. In this episode, she discusses how she and collaborators are conducting studies on different approaches, including a mobile health application, self-generated rhythmic cues in the form of singing, and mindfulness training, to improve aspects of walking and physical activity in people with Parkinson's disease. Gammon is Professor of Physical Therapy, Neurology, and Neuroscience, Associate Dean for Physical Therapy, and Director of the Program in Physical Therapy at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

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.

Improving our understanding of the complex neural circuits involved in normal function of the basal ganglia and other parts of the brain impacted by Parkinson's disease is critical for developing more targeted and more effective treatment approaches. In this episode, Dr. Aryn Gittis discusses her research examining how the activity of specific basal ganglia circuits relates to motor control in both health and pre-clinical models of movement disorders like Parkinson's disease. She describes new research on basal ganglia circuits that expands upon existing theoretical frameworks and provides important insights that can be leveraged to improve current therapies for Parkinson's disease by better targeting specific cell types in relevant circuits. Aryn also shares details about her ongoing project evaluating the impacts of stimulus location for a novel pattern of deep brain stimulation (DBS) that has been shown to provide long-lasting therapeutic effects in pre-clinical models. Aryn is Professor of Biological Sciences and the Neuroscience Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.

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.

Demand for movement disorder specialists continues to grow, but not enough neurologists are receiving focused training in Parkinson’s and related conditions in order to meet the current and projected needs in the U.S. and around the world. In collaboration with longtime partner the Edmond J. Safra Foundation, The Michael J. Fox Foundation created the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders with the goal of growing the global base of movement disorders specialists. In this episode Dr. Rachel Dolhun shares more about this fellowship program, the application process, and how the program supports the training of movement disorders clinician-researchers who will become leaders in Parkinson's care and advance science in the field. Rachel is Senior Vice President of Medical Communications at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Visit michaeljfox.org/funding to learn more about the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in 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.

Trichloroethylene (TCE) and related chemicals like perchloroethylene (PCE) have been used widely for a variety of commercial purposes over the past century, and these chemicals are prevalent in the air, water, and soil. Over the past several decades, mounting evidence has been published linking exposure to TCE/PCE with adverse health effects, including cancer and Parkinson's disease. In this episode, Dr. Sam Goldman discusses his research on environmental risk factors for Parkinson’s disease, focusing on recently published studies examining Parkinson's disease risk in Veterans at Camp Lejeune and also a cluster analysis investigating parkinson's disease diagnoses in people who worked near a contaminated site. Sam is a Professor in the Division of Occupational, Environmental, and Climate Medicine and the Departments of Medicine and Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He is also a Principal Investigator in the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

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 over a century, different surgical interventions have been explored to address symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and researchers are continuing to innovate and improve surgical treatments today. With new technology and an ever-expanding understanding of the function of the nervous system and the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease, neurosurgical interventions are becoming more effective and more personalized. Dr. Doris Wang joins us in this episode to discuss her work using focused ultrasound and deep brain stimulation (DBS) as treatments for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. She discusses some of the benefits and limitations of focused ultrasound treatment, comparisons of traditional versus asleep interventional MRI-guided deep brain stimulation surgery, advances in adaptive deep brain stimulation, and the development of gait-related biomarkers that could drive adaptive DBS. Doris is a neurosurgeon and Associate Professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). 

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.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research established its Research Tools Program to address gaps in the field and common challenges surrounding the development of reagents and models that slowed the initial stages of promising research projects. In collaboration with many partners and stakeholders, the Research Tools Program helps ensure that scientists around the world have access to high-quality reagents, models, and more. These tools have been instrumental in launching novel research projects to better understand Parkinson's disease and to develop promising new treatment strategies. This episode features Dr. Nicole K. Polinski, Director of Research Resources at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. In our conversation, she discusses her role in the organization, the wide variety of tools available through the Research Tools Program, and how academic and industry researchers can share their insights and feedback on current tools and future directions for tool development.

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.