June 11, 2008

• UAB earns five Parkinson's grants

• National leader in Parkinson's research

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB (University of Alabama Birmingham) has received five American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) research grants, the most awarded to one institution this year.

UAB was named an APDA Center for Advanced Research, one of nine APDA-supported centers in major academic and research institutions across the United States. David G. Standaert, MD, PhD, director of UAB's Center for Neurodegeneration & Experimental Therapeutics, is the center director and medical director of the APDA Information & Referral Center at UAB. Advanced centers receive $125,000 annually for five years based upon favorable yearly progress reports.

One-year, $50,000 research grants were awarded to Anthony Nicholas, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of neurology; Andrew West, Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology, Harrison Walker, M.D., instructor of neurology, and Shaji Theodore, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow. Stephen Crimmins, Ph.D., received a one-year, $35,000 postdoctoral fellowship.

APDA's Scientific Advisory Board, a panel of 15 experts in Parkinson disease specialties that reviews and recommends all research funding, accepted the work of Talene Yacoubian, M.D, Ph.D, a Dr. George C. Cotzias Fellowship winner last year. Awarded to assist promising neurologists in establishing careers in research, teaching and clinical services relevant to the problems, causes, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of PD, the Cotzias Fellowship is APDA's most prestigious research award and carries a three-year, $80,000 annual award based upon favorable progress.

Standaert and Ray L. Watts, M.D., UAB's chairman of neurology and acting CEO of the Health System, are past Cotzias fellowship recipients.

"APDA is happy to be able to support the excellent research being conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham," said Vincent N. Gattullo, president. "This year's more than $3 million to Parkinson's disease research to outstanding academic and medical institutions brings APDA's cumulative contribution to more than $33 million in the quest to find the cause and cure of this disease."

APDA is the country's largest grassroots organization serving the more than 1.5 million people afflicted with the progressively degenerative neurological disease and their caregivers.