On August 21st and 22nd, I attended “Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease: Understanding the Genetic Risk” at the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, MI.  Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease is an annual scientific symposium that brings together scientists, clinicians, advocates, and people with Parkinson’s to explore the latest innovative Parkinson’s disease research.

Of note from this year’s gathering:

• Link Initiative: lots of discussions about predictive models
• Compounds for Trials – ~ 10 are on their way
• Banning Pesticides – a high correlation between pesticide use and PD leads to a predictive drop in PD when certain pesticides are banned
• International PD – some high growth areas (China) do not have the # of needed Doctors to treat the growing numbers
• Stem Cells Phase 1 – apparently being held in the UK in 2020; the US on hold; the UK testing will be based on need/later stage, not necessarily just market size.

On August 24, I attended the Davis Phinney Victory Summit in Philadelphia. It was a “moving day of information and inspiration, featuring dynamic presentations from leading movement disorder neurologists and therapists from across the country.”  I was especially pleased to be joined by our CureNow: PD group, including Karl and Michelle Hespeler, and Scott McCarthy.

In September, I will be joining fellow PD advocates for our “Day on the Hill” to meet with lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Murphy, to discuss the very important needs of PWP’s.

In October, I will be joining the Pacific Udall Center for a meeting in Washington, D.C.  “The focus of the Pacific Udall Center is a combined effort of Stanford University, the University of Washington, and Oregon Health & Sciences University to develop solutions for cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease. We strive to understand the basis of this prevalent unmet medical need and—through both clinical and basic research—to discover improved diagnostics and new therapeutic targets. Our Center brings together a multidisciplinary group of investigators focused on improving our understanding of cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease. Projects within and linked to the Center are designed to provide important insights into the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease. Equally important, the Pacific Udall Center serves as a unique resource for other investigators interested in translational and clinical investigations of cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease, including those at other Udall Centers.”