Parkinson Society Canada National Research Program. Strengthening Collaboration & Moving Forward

Transcription

1 Parkinson Society Canada National Research Program Strengthening Collaboration & Moving Forward

2 A Collaborative Effort between Parkinson Society Canada and our Regional Partners: Parkinson Society Canada Parkinson Society Newfoundland and Labrador Parkinson Society Maritime Region Parkinson Society Quebec Parkinson Society Ottawa Parkinson Society Central & Northern Ontario Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario Parkinson Society Manitoba Parkinson Society Saskatchewan Inc. Parkinson Society British Columbia 2 2

3 What kind of research do we fund? Investigator Driven Discovery/exploratory Psychosocial/Quality of Life Clinical Fellowships. 3 3

4 Where does our funded research fit in the pipeline? Parkinson Society Canada Funded Research From Bench to Practice Discovery Research Basic Science done in a Laboratory BENCH 75% of funded projects occur at the discovery stage (at the Bench) and are biomedical in focus. Clinical Research Done in a clinic with the patient Psychosocial Research Done with PLWP s New Treatment/ Therapy, Educational Material, Support Services, Health Policy, Commercialization Dissemination to Community Health Providers/PLWP s 4 PRACTICE 25% of funded projects 4 are directed towards Clinical and Psychosocial Research.

5 Funding Philosophy Invest in Canadian Parkinson s research Maximize funding Build Capacity Support innovative research 5 5

6 31 years of funding discovery research Since 1981, more than $21 million and over 400 awards, fellowships, and grants provided to researchers to explore promising leads in etiology, progression, treatment of Parkinson s disease and improvements for quality of life. PSC supported researchers and clinical fellows are: Contributing to the global knowledge of Parkinson s through international conferences and publication of research results; Training the next generation of Parkinson s researchers; Increase the number of movement disorder specialists treating patients. The Current Picture: 48 research projects currently being funded in Total of $2,367,153 committed to support new research projects across Canada over the next two years. ** for more information on current award recipients including descriptions of projects, visit the funded researcher section of the research pages at or ask for a copy of the Research Highlights publication. 6 6

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8 How do we support research? PSC holds an annual competition for research grants, fellowships and studentships. Awards range from $30,000 to $100,000 and are provided for one or two years. Grants fund expenses associated with conducting a project Fellowships & studentships provide the salaries for researchers * for more information on specific types of awards visit the National Research Program page at 8 8

9 PSC Funding Process Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)- Dr. Edward Fon (Chair) Twelve researchers / clinicians from across Canada with expertise in different areas of Parkinson s; This group conducts the Peer Review Process. It reviews, scores and ranks all applications based on scientific excellence and relevancy to Parkinson s disease. Research Policy Committee (RPC) - Dr. Pierre Blanchet (Chair) Eight lay and scientific members from the Parkinson s community across Canada; Oversees the SAB and National Research Program ensuring that the research program meets the standard of scientific excellence. Makes recommendations for funding based on results of the peer review process conducted by the SAB. PSC National Board of Directors Oversees the work of the Research Policy Committee; and Approves funding recommendations of the RPC. **Important the SAB reviews and ranks the applications only. All funding decisions are made by a separate body, the RPC which decides on funding cutoffs and ultimately, who is recommended for funding to the National Board. 9 9

10 Current Parkinson s research Causes of Parkinson s Complications of Parkinson s Biomarkers Neuroprotection Cognitive Impairment and Parkinson s Improving quality of life for people with Parkinson s and their care partners Clinical Fellowships 10 10

11 Current Parkinson s research Causes of Parkinson's What do we know? It s a complex disease with many potential underlying causes. May be caused by a combination of factors including genetic predisposition and the environment. Scientists have identified several genes that cause the less common genetic form of Parkinson s to better understand the more common risk factors. What is being investigated? The chemical or genetic trigger that starts the cell death process particularly in dopamine neurons. Why? If we understand how a gene causes the disease, better models and drugs can be developed. What about the environmental link? Epidemiological research has identified several factors like exposure to pesticides as factors that MAY be linked to Parkinson s BUT there is NO conclusive evidence that any environmental factor, alone, can be considered a cause of the disease

12 Current Parkinson s research Complications of Parkinson s What do we know? Parkinson s is more than a movement disorder. It s a complex disease with many potential underlying causes It can progress at a different rate for each person and the nature, severity and impact of symptoms can vary with each individual. What is being investigated? Motor and non-motor complications associated with the disease. e.g. dyskinesias, depression, hallucinations, anxiety, problems with sleep, difficulty with swallowing, impulsive behaviours, sexual problems or cognitive changes. Why? Newer drugs may help reduce the significant side effects produced by long term use of medications. Advances in treatment are increasingly effective in alleviating symptoms and may one day also slow progression of the disease; To develop new treatment options or improve existing ones

13 Current Parkinson s research Biomarkers Nearly all people who develop Parkinson s recall experiencing early signs of the disease, such as loss of sense of smell, constipation, problems with sleep, minor cognitive impairment, and depression. Why is identifying biomarkers important? - It will make it possible for scientists to predict, diagnose, and monitor the disease. - Early stage detection would allow people with Parkinson s to start taking treatments sooner. Biomarkers could: Be used to identify individuals at risk of developing Parkinson s; Improve diagnosis; Measure disease progression; Assess the likelihood of an individual responding to a particular treatment

14 Current Parkinson s research Neuroprotection Finding ways to prevent the death of dopamine-producing cells could slow or halt the progression of the disease. Why is Neuroprotection research important? Neuroprotective drugs could be developed and used by individuals with early clinical signs or given to those at genetic risk. What are researchers investigating? Naturally occurring substances which have been shown to protect the brain from degeneration such as: omega -3 fatty acids caffeine nicotine ginseng turmeric 14 14

15 Current Parkinson s research Cognitive Impairment and Parkinson s A growing area of research is how the Parkinson brain is affected by cognitive impairment and the subsequent symptoms that people experience. Why is research on Cognitive Impairment important? Many people with Parkinson s experience cognitive deficits, sometimes severe enough to be considered as dementia. These cognitive changes have been identified as part of the disease progression. Cognitive changes in Parkinson s are different from Alzheimer s Disease and include: o attention deficit; o problems with word finding; o slowness in thinking ability; o difficulty retrieving information; o problems with executive functioning, such as planning, anticipating consequences, and making decisions

16 Current Parkinson s research Psychosocial / Quality of Life Research A growing area aimed at researchers in other health disciplines e.g. nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology and social work that focuses on improving quality of life. Why is it Important? It addresses the challenges for those living with Parkinson s today. It provides practical information that can be used to improve treatment and support services, and plan advocacy strategies that influence policy decisions. What are researchers investigating? Ways to improve our understanding and treatment of non-motor and motor symptoms of Parkinson's; Behavioural and cognitive changes; Economic impacts on families; Issues related to caregiving or supportive interventions

17 Current Parkinson s research Clinical Fellowships Clinical Fellowships for neurologists provide an opportunity for a physician to receive additional training and/or to acquire more specialized expertise in clinical aspects of Parkinson s and other movement disorders. Why are Clinical Fellowships Important? Clinical training programs help to address the shortage of specialists involved in Parkinson s care and clinical research in Canada

18 Partnerships Partnerships make better use of resources and increase research funding capacity. Given the strong competition for and shortage of research dollars, organizations are pooling resources to fund more researchers. Partnering with other neurological health charities gives PSC a stronger voice. This will increase awareness and advocacy for people living with Parkinson s In addition to Regional support, PSC currently has three funding partnership agreements and is consistently looking for new partnering opportunities Our Partners include: Parkinson Society Canada s regional Parkinson s organizations Fonds de Recherche du Québec Santé (FRQS) Institute of Neurosciences Mental Health & Addiction (INMHA) Neurological Health Charities Canada (NHCC) 18 18

19 Your Research Dollars at Work Dr. Pierre Blanchet (Clinical Research Fellowship 1993). Dr. Blanchet and Dr. N. Chase established for the first time the precise role of the drug amantadine, used for over 40 years to relieve early symptoms of PD. This older, inexpensive compound now has a completely new role in the treatment of PD

20 Your Research Dollars at Work Dr. Oury Monchi (New Investigator Award in ). Established his lab and continued research in cognition and Parkinson s. His work led to the identification of why dopamine replacement therapy has a paradoxical effect on cognition

21 Your Research Dollars at Work Dr. Frederic Calon and Dr. Francesca Cicchetti (Pilot Project Grant 2007). Resulted in the first published study that demonstrated the neuroprotective role of omega-3 fatty acids against Parkinson's

22 Your Research Dollars at Work Dr. Ron Postuma (PSC/CIHR Psychosocial Research Grant 2009). Developed a new patient and physician s guide for describing and treating non-motor symptoms of Parkinson s disease. Both guides are available on our website

23 Your Research Dollars at Work Dr. Manon Bouchard (Clinical Movement Disorder Fellowship 2009). Established a new movement disorder clinic in South Shore, Québec in 2011 De gauche à droite sur la photo : Dr André Garon, DSP, M. Raymond Coulombe, DG, Dre Christianne Boilard, md HDJ, Sylvie Cayer, chef de programme HDJ, Dre Manon Bouchard, neurologue, Dre Anne-Marie Perreault, md HDJ et HDL, Dr Marc Petitclerc, neurologue (absent sur la photo) 23 23

24 Your Research Dollars at Work Dr. Edward Fon and Dr. Kalle Gehring (Pilot Project Grant 2012) discover the 3 dimensional structure of the protein Parkin. Understanding the structure of this protein and being able to manipulate it takes us one step closer to discovering drugs that may lead to slowing the progression of Parkinson s disease

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