What We Fund

What We Fund

APDA has been a funding partner in many major scientific breakthroughs and has awarded more than $55 million in research grants to date.

APDA maintains eight Centers for Advanced Research and individual research grants and fellowships are awarded annually for promising research by experienced and young scientists. Grants are awarded through a competitive application process and reviewed by APDA’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB is comprised of scientists with a wide array of backgrounds and expertise in all areas relevant to Parkinson’s disease research.

Professional Education

APDA provides sponsorship support for select professional education opportunities to foster and encourage the sharing of ideas, knowledge and possibilities among PD professionals.

A proud funder of Parkinson’s Researchers

Available Parkinson’s Research Funding Opportunities

Centers for Advanced Research are located in major academic and medical centers across the country intended to strengthen and help to integrate already existing investigative teams. These Centers receive funding to support large research programs which include: research trainees; fellowship programs; early stage discovery programs and later stage clinical translation. These Centers facilitate research which is at the forefront of investigation into the causes, treatments and ultimately the cure(s) for Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. George C. Cotzias Memorial Fellowship George C. Cotzias, MD was a pathfinder in the pharmacologic exploration of brain functions and in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease with levodopa. His work stimulated much of the current interest and research on neurological movement disorders. The American Parkinson Disease Association has established the Cotzias fellowship, in honor of his memory, to stimulate neurologists to follow his leadership. The goal of the Cotzias fellowship is to assist promising young neurologists in establishing careers in research, teaching and clinical services relevant to the problems, causes, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease and related neurological movement disorders. This is a fellowship is for three years and is not renewable.

Post-Doctoral Fellowships are awarded to support post-doctoral scientists whose research holds promise to provide new insights into the pathophysiology, etiology and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. This is a fellowship for two years.

Research Grants are awarded to investigators affiliated with and performing Parkinson’s disease research at major academic institutions across the United States. This is a grant for one year, renewable.

Diversity in Parkinson’s Disease Research Grant is awarded to support a research scientist studying the health disparities and/or differences among under-studied PD communities. This is a grant for one year.

Read the latest articles on Parkinson’s research

  • Meet Dr. Stephan Grimaldi: an APDA-funded Researcher Working to Use MRI Imaging as a Possible Biomarker for Early Parkinson’s Disease

    Meet Dr. Stephan Grimaldi: an APDA-funded Researcher Working to Use MRI Imaging as a Possible Biomarker for Early Parkinson’s Disease

    A Closer Look: Interview with APDA Researchers  Our A Closer Look blog is designed to educate, inform, and inspire you through a variety of topics and insights about Parkinson’s disease (PD). One way we do that is through our Interview with APDA Researchers series within this blog so you can get a closer look at some of the dedicated […]

    Read More >

  • Tracking the Impact of APDA-funded Parkinson’s Research

    Tracking the Impact of APDA-funded Parkinson’s Research

    APDA and Research Projects: Making a Difference APDA proudly invests in the most promising clinicians and scientific projects focused on the discovery of the cause(s) and finding the cure(s) for Parkinson’s disease (PD). APDA is committed to scientific research and has been a funding partner in many major PD scientific breakthroughs, investing nearly $55 million in […]

    Read More >

  • Cognition and Parkinson’s Disease Q&A

    Cognition and Parkinson’s Disease Q&A

    Questions About Parkinson’s Disease & Cognitive Impairment Changes in cognition can unfortunately be a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an early stage of cognitive difficulty that does not interfere with a person’s ability to perform activities independently but can nevertheless affect a person’s performance of more complex cognitive […]

    Read More >

  • Probiotics and Parkinson’s Disease

    Probiotics and Parkinson’s Disease

    What the latest science tells us about probiotics & Parkinson’s disease People often ask us about the use of probiotics to improve Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms. Probiotics have gained a lot of popularity in recent years, but what exactly are they, and can they make a difference for people with PD? I will answer these […]

    Read More >