The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

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 of the Parkinson’s Research Podcast, 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. Listen now: https://bit.ly/411bzgI *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: https://bit.ly/3W1iKBa

Earlier this week, MJFF team members had the privilege of joining Natan Edelsburg’s Public Relations: Principles and Practices class at New York University. The students presented creative, strategic ideas on how the Foundation could leverage TikTok to expand brand awareness, and engage and educate new audiences.? We’re grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the next generation of public relations professionals and exchange ideas that could help drive our mission forward.?

A decade after its launch, the impact of the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders is indisputable. The program has graduated 40 movement disorder specialists across 12 countries with 31K patients benefitting from specialized care. In 2014, the fellowship was created to fund the training of new movement disorder specialists to fuel research breakthroughs and provide expert care. As the needs of the more than 6 million people living with Parkinson’s worldwide continue to grow, this program's mission is more important than ever. Submissions for the next round of funding are due December 5th. Interested medical centers can learn more and apply here: bit.ly/3AS8ox5.

This year's #FoxGala was unforgettable with star-studded talent and over $4 million raised for Parkinson's research. Speaking exclusively with People Magazine, Michael J. Fox shared his gratitude for the generosity and dedication of friends and supporters gathering to celebrate the power of community and tremendous momentum in Parkinson's science — just one year after the discovery of a groundbreaking biomarker propelling us closer than ever toward a cure: “I can’t believe — a lot of these people I’ve known for years and years — they’re so kind to me. I think because they see an opportunity for a win, for a big advancement, and that’s what we’re working toward.” Huge thanks to our incredible musical headliner Stevie Nicks and special guest Maggie Rogers, host Denis Leary and comedians Zarna Garg, Alex Edelman and Roy Wood Jr. for making this a magical night. Read our blog for more highlights from the event: https://bit.ly/3Z9Y2C2

This year’s?#FoxGala?musical headliner?Stevie Nicks?and special guest?Maggie Rogers?were unforgettable and had everyone up on their feet singing along. They brought the house down alongside our fearless founder,?Michael J. Fox, for an epic finale. Stay tuned for more photos from last night’s event. ????

Last night’s Michael J. Fox Foundation #FoxGala brought more than 700 friends and supporters together for an epic night of music and comedy to celebrate the power of community and research momentum toward a cure. Stay tuned for more photos from last night’s event. ????

Join us at the 13th Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s Drug Development Summit which unites 150+ Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s experts, with pioneering insights as they address their most pressing challenges in a collaborative atmosphere to spearhead the next wave of more truly transformative neurodegenerative therapeutics. MJFF senior scientific portfolio manager Luis Miguel Oliveira will be joining the speaker faculty to showcase advancements in α-Synuclein seed amplification assays and discuss novel fluid markers beyond protein aggregation. MJFF Patient Council member Peter DiBiaso will represent the patient voice among industry discussions on what’s to come from the next wave of disease-modifying PD therapeutics. Learn more: https://ter.li/xv05q0

MJFF’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) for LGBTQ+ employees recently hosted an important discussion on identifying the needs of LGBTQ+ people with Parkinson’s disease, the concerns of their families and caregivers and more. Brian Fiske, PhD (he/him), moderated a conversation with Jason D. Flatt, PhD, MPH (he/they), assistant professor of social and behavioral health at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Dr. Flatt was one of the recipients of MJFF funding from the DEI RFA in 2022 and has been a tremendous resource for MJFF.

Thank you to Alamar Biosciences, Inc. for your support of the 2024 Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics Conference. Alamar has launched the NULISAseq CNS Disease Panel 120 and the NULISAqpcr pTau-217 Assay, designed for ultra-high sensitivity protein analysis relevant to neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. These tools aim to enable earlier disease detection and better therapeutic predictions, supporting researchers in identifying critical biomarkers from small sample volumes. Learn more https://alamarbio.com/

Each person living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) will have a unique journey with their treatments, including the decision to have deep brain stimulation (DBS), which is a surgical procedure to treat Parkinson’s motor symptoms. While DBS isn’t suitable for everyone, it can be helpful in the right person, and it’s a complex, lifelong choice. In our newest podcast episode, you’ll hear from our expert panel: ? Larry Gifford, co-founder of PD Avengers and MJFF Patient Council member who had DBS surgery in 2023 ? Becca Miller, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist, associate professor at Yale School of Medicine and MJFF Patient Council member who had DBS surgery in 2021 ? Pavan Vaswani, MD, movement disorder specialist and assistant professor of clinical neurology at Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System ? Ajmal Zemmar, MD, practicing neurosurgeon and assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Louisville School of Medicine Together, they tackle community-sourced questions on DBS surgery day: what to wear, how loved ones can support, what it feels like to be awake during brain surgery and more. Listen to the episode: https://bit.ly/48Ktxpz