APDA Center for Advanced Research

Rutgers – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School is home to an Advanced Center for Parkinson's Research supported by the American Parkinson Disease Association. The Center is directed by M. Maral Mouradian, MD, Distinguished Professor of Neurology, William Dow Lovett Endowed Chair for Parkinson’s Research, and Founding Director of RWJMS Institute for Neurological Therapeutics. The comprehensive team includes scientists and expert clinicians.

APDA Centers for Advanced Research meet the highest academic standards and are distinguished leaders in the field of Parkinson’s disease (PD) research. There are eight such centers across the country.

The funding of this Center supports a large research program, which includes:

• Investigations into the molecular and genetic underpinnings of PD
• Discovery of new pathways that can be targeted for the purpose of slowing down disease progression
• Projects aimed at reducing the toxicity of the pathogenic protein alpha-synuclein
• Identifying new compounds that have the potential to be developed as treatments for modifying the course of the disease
• Projects aimed at understanding complications of L-dopa therapy and developing improved treatments for L-dopa induced dyskinesia
• Studies to optimize Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) procedures
• Studies on the role of genes in post-DBS cognitive function
• Depression care in PD

Current Postdoctoral fellowship program participants:

• Jun Liu, PhD
• Santhosh Chandar Maddila, PhD
• Kambiz Hassanzadeh, PhD
• Mung-Sik Yoo, PhD
• Azeez Ishlola, PhD
• Inhye Jeong, PhD
• MinKyung Song, PhD

Former Postdoctoral fellows:

• Faheem Ullah, PhD
• Levi Adams, PhD
• Prashant Tarale, PhD
• Huailong Chang, PhD
• Jie Zhang, MD, PhD
• Run Yan, PhD
• Hye-Jin Park, PhD
• Ikrak Jung, PhD
• Magda Grudniewska-Lawton, PhD
• Sebastian Rodriguez, DVM, PhD
• Eunsu Park, PhD
• Vera Dias, PhD
• Jong-Min Woo, PhD
• Kang Woo Lee, PhD
• Joo-Young Im, PhD
• Won Hee Jang, PhD
• Byeong Seon Jeong, PhD

The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) is the largest grassroots network dedicated to fighting Parkinson’s disease (PD) and works tirelessly to assist the more than 1 million Americans with PD live life to the fullest in the face of this chronic, neurological disorder. Founded in 1961, APDA has raised and invested more than $170 million to provide outstanding patient services and educational programs, elevate public awareness about the disease, and support research designed to unlock the mysteries of PD and ultimately put an end to this disease. To join us in the fight against Parkinson’s disease and to learn more about the support APDA provides nationally through our network of Chapters and Information & Referral (I&R) Centers, as well as our national Research Program and Centers for Advanced Research, please visit www.apdaparkinson.org.

Parkinson's disease affects more than 1 million people in the United States annually, with at least 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year. The chronic and progressive neurological condition is the second most common neurodegenerative aging disorder, after Alzheimer's disease.

For more information contact:
I&R Coordinator: Heena Gandhi
Medical Director: M. Maral Mouradian, MD
Phone: 732-235-5012 
E-mail:  apda@rwjms.rutgers.edu