Guided by the Sun: Michael Okun’s Bold Vision for a Parkinson’s-Free Future (UF News)
UF researcher Michael Okun is pioneering a global, patient-centered “Parkinson’s universe” model that redefines care, prioritizes prevention, and drives a worldwide movement toward a Parkinson’s-free future.
Michael S. Okun, M.D., Receives Honor for Leadership and Lasting Impact in Neurology
Michael S. Okun, M.D., has been named a University of Florida Distinguished Professor. This is the highest faculty honor awarded at UF and represents Okun’s dedication to leadership and his lasting impact on the field of neurology.
Okun joins seven other faculty across campus selected for the designation this year. He is only the fifth faculty member from the College of Medicine to receive this honor.
UF Neuroscientists Discover Biomarker With Potential To Aid Parkinson’s Diagnosis
University of Florida neuroscientists have developed a new assay, or test, to detect minute amounts of a protein called tyrosine hydroxylase in blood immune cells of Parkinson’s disease patients, a key finding to aid in the development of a blood test to help diagnose and guide treatment for the neurodegenerative disorder.
UF College of Medicine Announces Clinical Science and Basic Science Faculty Research Awards
Michael Okun, MD, and Jiang Bian, Ph.D., were recently announced as the winners of the 2021 College of Medicine Clinical Science Research Award and the UF College of Medicine Basic Science Research Award, respectively.
New AI Tool To Be Tested in NIH-Funded Study To Improve Diagnosis of Parkinson’s and Related Disorders
UF researchers will broadly test a new AI tool aimed at distinguishing the precise diagnosis for patients with early Parkinson’s disease or two related syndromes under a new $5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.
Is It Time for a New Image of Parkinson’s Disease?
In an article published in the journal JAMA Neurology, Dr. Melissa J Armstrong and Dr. Michael S Okun argue that it is ‘Time for a new image of Parkinson’s disease’ that more accurately reflects the varied experiences of the people with the condition.
The Patient Is the Sun – Michael Okun
Patients have greatly influenced Michael S. Okun, MD, in his life and in his work. As the executive director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UF Health and a professor and chair of Neurology, Okun has seen the beauty of human interaction in medical care. In 1993, Okun was a second-year medical student […]
Five Questions for Michael S. Okun, M.D.
Michael S. Okun, M.D. is chair of Neurology, Adelaide Lackner professor, and executive director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida College of Medicine. He received his M.D. with honors from the University of Florida and, subsequently, was fellowship-trained at Emory University before establishing the movement disorders program at […]
UF Neurologists Create a New Image of Parkinson Disease
An outdated sketch from 1886 by Sir William Richard Gowers remains among the most used and viewed depictions of Parkinson disease, despite great advancements in the understanding of the neurological disorder. Now, UF neurologists Melissa Armstrong, M.D. and Michael S. Okun, M.D. have worked with a medical illustrator to create a new, more diverse representation of who is affected by […]
As Cases of Parkinson’s Disease Increase, Community Must Demand Funding, Change
The odds of a person developing Parkinson’s disease over a lifetime are 1 in 15. It is the fastest-growing neurodegenerative disease and is overtaking Alzheimer’s for the top spot. That stunning growth curve foreshadows bankruptcy for many health-care systems, said Dr. Michael Okun, of the Fixel Institute of Neurological Diseases and a leading international expert […]