The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson's Podcast

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Therapies for Tomorrow: How Better Clinical Trial Design Leads to Better Treatments (Webinar Audio) Feb 28, 2024

Show notes

The drug development pipeline is key to bringing new therapies to people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). With major breakthroughs in research in the past year, including a new biomarker for PD, The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) study and other initiatives can be leveraged to create better designed trials. This audio from our Third Thursdays Webinar features a conversation about all the ways clinical trial design is changing, and why leaders in the space believe those changes will lead to better treatments. The webinar includes contributions from a person with PD, a researcher and an industry leader.

Like our podcasts? Please consider leaving a rating or review and sharing the series with your network. https://apple.co/3p02Jw0

Whether you have Parkinson’s or not, you can help move research forward. Join the study that’s changing everything. Find out more at michaeljfox.org/podcast-ppmi.

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All Grit. No Quit. is our bold Campaign to raise $2.5 billion by 2028. This is our biggest push yet toward a world without Parkinson's and we need to bring the full force of our community to meet this moment. Whatever brings you here, you can be a part of accelerating what comes next. michaeljfox.org/campaign/all-grit-no-quit

Examining the Proposed Biological Definition of Neuronal Alpha-Synuclein Disease and Staging System with Lana Chahine Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

For many years, Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies have been defined using clinical features. With recent advances in biomarkers, particularly the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay that allows us to detect misfolded and aggregated alpha-synuclein in cerebrospinal fluid, it is now possible to identify the presence of pathological neuronal alpha-synuclein in living patients. With input from diverse stakeholders, a new biological definition of neuronal alpha-synuclein disease (NSD) has been proposed, along with an integrated staging system (NSD-ISS). In this interview, we discuss the development of this biologic definition for Parkinson’s disease and the staging system with Dr. Lana Chanine, one of the lead authors of the recently published manuscript in The Lancet Neurology that describes this work. It is important to note that the NSD and NSD-ISS are for research purposes only right now, and they are not ready to be implemented in the clinic. Lana is a Movement Disorders Neurologist and Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh.

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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.

Dating and New Relationships after a Parkinson’s Diagnosis Feb 14, 2024

Show notes

Dating and beginning new relationships with Parkinson’s involve distinct challenges, joys and fears. In this frank and funny podcast, our experts discuss how they face considerations like building and maintaining confidence, disease disclosure, and the importance of self-knowledge and self-care in new relationships. They remind us all that no matter what we’re facing, dating and finding love can be fun and fulfilling.

Like our podcasts? Please consider leaving a rating or review and sharing the series with your network. https://apple.co/3p02Jw0  

Whether you’ve been newly diagnosed or have been living with Parkinson’s for many years, The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson’s Buddy Network is a free, online platform that helps you find new connections, access educational resources and engage in important dialogue. Join our community today at parkinsonsbuddynetwork.org.

The Foundation’s landmark study, the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative, also known as PPMI, is recruiting volunteers. Join the study that’s changing everything at michaeljfox.org/podcast-ppmi.

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Managing Risk for Drug Discovery and Development in Parkinson's Disease with Kalpana Merchant Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

There is a pressing need to develop safe and effective disease-modifying and symptomatic treatments for Parkinson's disease. Through improvements in our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease, as well as genetic risk factors, new potential treatment targets have emerged. However, bringing a promising new compound from the lab through all of the steps of drug development is a long, difficult, and resource-intensive process. In recent years, collaborative efforts and advances in biomarkers have led to important breakthroughs that have the potential to facilitate the development of new drugs for Parkinson's disease. In this episode, Dr. Kalpana Merchant draws from over two decades of pharmaceutical industry experience to share progress in drug discovery and development for Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. Kalpana is President and Chief Scientific Officer at TransThera Consulting, which provides guidance on drug discovery and translational strategies to biopharma startup companies. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, a member of the Oregon Innovation Council, a Scientific Advisor at The Michael J. Fox Foundation, and she serves on advisory panels at the National Institutes of Health.

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New Year, New Moves! Explore Exercise for Life with Parkinson’s (Webinar Audio) Jan 24, 2024

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We know exercise is important for people with Parkinson’s. Once you’ve decided to move more, what next? In this audio from our Third Thursdays Webinar, our experts discuss strategies for making exercise a meaningful part of your life. They present ways to make time for exercise and to make the most of it, including being aware of different types, frequencies and intensities. This discussion will help you find a way to get moving and stay motivated.

Like our podcasts? Please consider leaving a rating or review and sharing the series with your network. https://apple.co/3p02Jw0 

Join a Foundation-hosted run/walk event. Or register for the Unity Walk. Every mile moves us one step closer to a cure for Parkinson's. Learn more at michaeljfox.org.

Whether you have Parkinson’s or not, you can help move research forward. Join the study that’s changing everything. Find out more at michaeljfox.org/podcast-ppmi.

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How MJFF “De-Risks” PD Drug Development Pipeline Jan 17, 2024

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One key pillar of The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s research strategy is a focus on “de-risking" potential treatments for Parkinson’s disease. This episode of our award-winning “Parkinson’s Science POV” series explains how lowering the risk associated with developing new therapies leads to a more robust pipeline of treatments. The episode details several recent successes of the strategy.

Like our podcasts? Please consider leaving a rating or review and sharing the series with your network. https://apple.co/3p02Jw0

Join a study today to help speed progress toward better treatments and a cure for Parkinson’s disease. To search for studies in your area, visit Fox Trial Finder at foxtrialfinder.org.

Whether you have Parkinson’s or not, you can help move research forward. Join the study that’s changing everything. Find out more at michaeljfox.org/podcast-ppmi.

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Using Neuroimaging and Biomarkers to Improve Neurodegenerative Disease Diagnosis and Assessment with John Seibyl Jan 16, 2024

Show notes

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.

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Tools for Diagnosing and Visualizing Parkinson’s Disease (Webinar Audio) Jan 03, 2024

Show notes

Doctors have been using DaTscan brain imaging as a tool to help diagnose the Parkinson’s disease (PD) for more than a decade, but even people who know a lot about the disease often still have questions about its role — and the role of other imaging tools — in diagnosis and care. What’s a DaTscan, and how does it relate to PET, SPECT and MRI? When is a DaTscan or other brain imaging tool used in PD? Are there any risks?

In this audio from our Third Thursdays Webinar, experts and people with PD offer listeners an impromptu course in Brain Imaging 101. You’ll learn to differentiate the different types of imaging used to visualize the brain and how they are used in PD research and care. You’ll also learn the latest in efforts to visualize alpha-synuclein, the protein that misfolds and clumps in Parkinson’s, and what its selective imaging in the living brain will mean for PD clinical trials and care.

Like our podcasts? Please consider leaving a rating or review and sharing the series with your network. https://apple.co/3p02Jw0 

Whether you have Parkinson’s or not, you can help move research forward. Join the study that’s changing everything. Find out more at michaeljfox.org/podcast-ppmi.

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Impacts and Goals of the Global Parkinson's Genetics Program with Christine Klein Jan 02, 2024

Show notes

A substantial portion of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) have a family history of the disease, and new findings continue to improve our understanding of relevant genetic variants. These discoveries are key for clarifying the mechanisms that lead to Parkinson's disease as well as the development of new therapies. The Global Parkinson's Genetics Program (GP2) was established to gather and integrate genetic and clinical data from diverse participants around the world to expand our knowledge of the genetic architecture of PD. In this episode, Dr. Christine Klein discusses her experiences as Co-Leader of the Monogenetic Network of GP2, including the early days of setting up this large-scale collaboration, important achievements to date, and priorities and considerations going forward. She also shares recent findings from her own research on genetic variants related to Parkinson's disease. Christine is Director of the Institute of Neurogenetics and of the Section of Clinical and Molecular Neurogenetics at the Department of Neurology, as well as the Schilling Professor of Neurology at the University of Lübeck in Germany. She is also Co-Director of the Monogenetic Network of GP2.

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Having Happy Holidays with Parkinson’s Dec 20, 2023

Show notes

The holidays can be a time of joyful celebration with those we love. They may also come with the stress of travel, disruptions to your regular routine or even loneliness. For those living with Parkinson’s disease (PD), or those taking care of someone they love with the disease, these feelings can be intensified. This podcast offers tips to people living with PD, as well as their care partners, friends and family, for how to prepare — mind, body and suitcase — to make your holidays happy. 

Like our podcasts? Please consider leaving a rating or review and sharing the series with your network. https://apple.co/3p02Jw0  

Whether you have Parkinson’s or not, you can help move research forward. Join the study that’s changing everything. Find out more at michaeljfox.org/podcast-ppmi.

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