NEW YORK, March 28, 2016
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's
Research, in collaboration with its longtime supporter and partner the Edmond
J. Safra Foundation, has selected six academic centers in the United States and
Germany to host the second class of the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement
Disorders.
The six centers selected
for the 2017-2019 Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders class are:
• Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New
York
• University of California San Francisco
• Rush University in Chicago
• University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia
• University of Rochester in Rochester, New York
• University of Tübingen in Germany
By increasing resources
for specialized training for clinician-researcher neurologists, this program
aims to grow the global base of movement disorder specialists treating people
with Parkinson's and contributing to research toward breakthrough treatments
for the disease.
"This program is
designed to give people with Parkinson's the best possible care," said
Mrs. Lily Safra, chairwoman of the Edmond J. Safra Foundation. "These
prestigious institutions provide fellows with expert training in the field of
movement disorders, thus increasing the number of specialty physicians
available to people with Parkinson's disease."
"This program trains
knowledgeable specialists who provide day-to-day care to people with
Parkinson's and conduct research to speed the development of new
treatments," said Todd Sherer, PhD, CEO of The Michael J. Fox Foundation
(MJFF). "There is a pressing need for both those sides of service as our
population grows and more people age into risk of Parkinson's
disease."
A lack of available
funding for fellowships historically has limited the number of openings in
movement disorder specialist training programs, including programs at medical
centers with the required expertise to train the next generation of
specialists.
A committee of advisors
selected by MJFF chose the six centers. Five of the six centers will now
identify a fellow to begin two years of training in July 2017. The University
of Tübingen has identified a fellow to begin later in 2016.
Impact of Clinician-Researchers
Specializing in Movement Disorders
In addition to delivering expert care to individual patients,
clinician-researcher movement disorder specialists improve the landscape of
Parkinson's care overall. The clinicians trained through the Edmond J. Safra
Fellowship in Movement Disorders will design and conduct studies with their
patients' unmet needs in mind. From the front lines, they are poised to observe
trends and nuances of the patient experience that can lead to investigations
toward greater understanding of disease and open new avenues to better
therapies.
Patients are specialists'
greatest partners in research. These doctors are aware of (and often leaders
of) ongoing clinical trials and research studies, putting them in a position to
educate their patients about participating in research — a powerful opportunity
to be part of the quest for a cure.
"We're grateful to
Lily Safra and the Edmond J. Safra Foundation for their vision in seeding the
pipeline of future specialists in the treatment of Parkinson's disease,"
said Michael J. Fox. "It was gratifying to see clinicians and researchers
respond with enthusiasm when the program launched last year — we can't wait to
see what the future may hold."
Dedication to Parkinson's
Care and Research
The late banker and
philanthropist Edmond J. Safra's namesake Foundation has long made Parkinson's
disease care and research one of its top priorities. Mrs. Safra, Chairwoman of
the Edmond J. Safra Foundation, has been an MJFF Board member since 2001.
In addition to generous
gifts to centers and programs providing direct care to people with Parkinson's
disease, Lily Safra and her Foundation have driven vital scientific
investigation into new treatments. The fellowship is the latest among many
partnerships between the Edmond J. Safra Foundation and MJFF, including the
Edmond J. Safra Core Programs for PD Research, one of MJFF's central
grantmaking avenues to support high-impact Parkinson's research projects.
About The Michael J. Fox
Foundation for Parkinson's Research
As the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research,
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for
Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition
today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly
targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists,
Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and
volunteers. In addition to funding more than $600 million in research to
date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress
toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the
Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic
scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of participants
into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial
Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events
and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team
Fox members around the world.
About the Edmond J. Safra
Philanthropic Foundation
Edmond
J. Safra, one of the 20th century's most accomplished bankers and a devoted
philanthropist, established a major philanthropic foundation to ensure that
individuals and organizations would continue to receive his assistance and
encouragement for many years to come. Under the chairmanship of his beloved
wife Lily, the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation draws continuing
inspiration from its founder's life and values, and supports hundreds of
organizations in more than 40 countries around the world. Its work encompasses
four areas: Education; Science and Medicine; Religion; and Humanitarian
Assistance, Culture and Social Welfare. The Foundation has provided significant
funding for Parkinson's disease research and patient care at dozens of hospitals
and institutes in places as varied as Natal (Brazil), Toronto, New York,
Grenoble, Paris, London and Jerusalem.
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