The University of Alabama at Birmingham has been chosen by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research as one of five academic centers to host the inaugural class of the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders.By increasing resources for specialized training or clinician-researcher neurologists, the program — made possible by The Edmond J. Safra Foundation — 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.
“There is a growing need for neurologists with additional training in movement disorders,” said David G. Standaert, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Neurology. “We are honored to have been selected by The Michael J. Fox Foundation to grow the number of clinician-researchers equipped to provide optimal care to Parkinson’s patients and conduct the urgent work to learn more about this disease and to develop new therapies.”
UAB is now recruiting a neurology resident for the 2016-2018 Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders class.
A committee of advisers selected by MJFF named the five centers. The others are Columbia University Medical Center in New York; Emory University in Atlanta; Northwestern University in Chicago; and Toronto Western Hospital in Ontario, Canada
“People with Parkinson’s disease are the true beneficiaries of this program,” said Mrs. Lily Safra, chair of the Edmond J. Safra Foundation. “These prestigious institutions are equipped to offer fellows the training and experience that will help them better serve their Parkinson’s patients.”