American Parkinson Disease Association Supports Researchers With $2.6 Million in New Funding

The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) has awarded $2.6 million to support new research for Parkinson’s disease (PD) in 2024-2025, a 30% increase from the previous year. The funded projects cover key areas such as genetic causes of PD, cognitive issues in PD, and how alpha-synuclein (a protein linked to PD) is produced in brain cells. They will also explore walking difficulties, deep brain stimulation, and more. APDA has supported many major breakthroughs in PD since it began in 1961. In the U.S., around one million people live with PD, and 90,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Research is crucial to finding better treatments and, eventually, a cure. APDA focuses on funding early-stage researchers, helping them gather initial data to apply for larger grants. Leslie A. Chambers, APDA’s President & CEO, emphasized how their mission is to bring hope to the Parkinson’s community through progress. By providing early funding, APDA enables researchers to explore new ideas, often helping them secure larger grants later. For 2024-2025, APDA awarded five Post-Doctoral Fellowships, eight Research Grants, three Diversity in Parkinson’s Disease Research Grants, nine APDA Centers for Advanced Research, and the prestigious George C. Cotzias Memorial Fellowship. APDA is also continuing its support for diversity in PD research, awarding a special grant for the fifth year to researchers focused on studying how PD affects underrepresented communities. All grants go through a competitive process and are reviewed by APDA’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), made up of experts in PD research. Rebecca Gilbert, MD, PhD, Chief Mission Officer at APDA, praised the quality of the projects funded this year, stating that APDA is committed to selecting research that shows real potential for progress while ensuring donations are used effectively in the search for answers.