APDA SUPPORTS FUTURE LEADERS IN PARKINSON’S RESEARCH
This past summer, APDA was proud to sponsor two exceptional undergraduate students participating in the prestigious Barrow Neurological Institute Summer Undergraduate Internship Program in Phoenix, AZ. This highly competitive ten-week program immerses students in cutting-edge neurology research and provides hands-on experience in world-class laboratories.
APDA’s sponsorship covers each student’s stipend, travel, and room and board — eliminating financial barriers and opening doors for emerging scientists to explore Parkinson’s disease (PD) research firsthand.
Karishma Sivakumar, a student at Boston University, worked in the laboratory of Dr. Brad Racette. Her project focused on the neuroepidemiology of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), using Medicare data to better understand the disease’s patterns and risk factors.
Garv Sharma, a student at the University of Arizona, worked in the laboratory of Dr. Rita Sattler. He studied the disease-specific cellular and molecular mechanisms of the two subtypes of Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) — Parkinson’s disease with dementia (PDD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) — using a human patient-specific model system often called a “brain-in-a-dish.”
Through partnerships like this one, APDA continues to foster the next generation of PD researchers and deepen our collective understanding of the disease. We are honored to help build a pipeline of talent that will lead to better treatments and, ultimately, a cure. This sponsorship was made possible thanks to the generosity of The Simone Charitable Foundation, Inc., for which we are deeply grateful.