Parkinson’s Disease Therapeutics Webinars

Tuesday, June 16, 2020, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. US ET

Assessments that meaningfully measure the patient experience are critical tools for clinical trials. This session focused on MJFF-funded research to identify the symptoms and aspects of disease burden that matter to people living with Parkinson’s. Speakers discussed how novel instruments and the methods used to develop them can serve as guideposts for eliciting information on which aspects of Parkinson’s disease are most important to patients. They also highlighted how such assessments could be developed for use in clinical trials to address gaps left by traditional assessments and drive more patient-focused drug development.

Moderator: Catherine Kopil, PhD, Vice President, Research Partnerships, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Panelists: Jesse M. Cedarbaum, MD
Founder and Head, Coeruleus Clinical Sciences LLC
Professor (Adjunct) of Neurology and Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine

Lana Chahine, MD, MS
Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh

Ira Shoulson, MD
Professor of Neurology, University of Rochester
Principal, Grey Matter Technologies

Thursday, July 16, 2020, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. US ET

The Michael J. Fox Foundation's landmark study, the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) has generated a large set of biological, clinical and imaging data to inform translational biomarker research as well as novel therapeutic development. This session delved into the available data and share some of the key insights to date from analysis of the PPMI dataset.

Moderator: Kenneth Marek, MD, President and Senior Scientist, Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders

Panelists: Mark Frasier, PhD
Senior Vice President, Research Programs, MJFF

Kalpana Merchant, PhD
Adjunct Professor of Neurology, Northwestern University
President and CSO, TransThera Consulting Co.

Brit Mollenhauer, MD
Assistant Professor, University of Goettingen
Attending Neurologist, Head of Clinical Research, Paracelsus Elena Klinik

Andrew B. Singleton, PhD
NIH Distinguished Investigator, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging

Tuesday, September 15, 2020, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. US ET

As more companies enter the field and the number of active Parkinson’s research and development programs grows, it is imperative to prioritize an understanding of the disease from the patient perspective. This virtual “patient day” brings together industry professionals, people with Parkinson’s and care partners to share experiences of Parkinson’s; its varying onset, progression, and symptoms; and unmet needs. The goal is to foster discussion between the patient and research communities to drive more patient-centered research.

Moderator: Larry Gifford, Michael J. Fox Foundation Patient Council member and Host, When Life Gives You Parkinson’s

Panelists: Anne Cohn Donnelly, D.P.H.
MJFF Patient Council Member
Senior Lecturer, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

Michael S. Fitts
MJFF Patient Council Member
Assistant Dean, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB Libraries)  

Soania Mathur, MD
Author, Retired Physician, and Co-Chair, MJFF Patient Council

Thursday, October 8, 2020, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. US ET

Leaders from academia and industry discuss the momentum in our field and look ahead to what’s next. The panel will cover therapeutic development from identifying novel targets through advancing compounds to the clinic with an emphasis on emerging trends and opportunities to accelerate future development.  

Moderator: Fiona Marshall, PhD, VP Head of Neuroscience and Head of MSD UK Discovery Research, Merck

Panelists: Warren Hirst, PhD, Senior Director, Biogen

Carole Ho, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Development, Denali Therapeutics

Kenneth Marek, MD, President and Senior Scientist, Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders

Todd Sherer, PhD, CEO, The Michael J. Fox Foundation

Sean Smith, PhD, Executive Director, Neuroscience Discovery, Merck

Kirsten Taylor, Biomarker and Experimental Medicine Leader, F. Hoffmann-La Roche