What the Trained Eye Cannot See: Detecting Movement Defects in Early-Stage Parkinson’s Disease
A technique that uses videos and machine learning to quantify motor symptoms in early-stage Parkinson’s disease could help reveal signs of the disease and other movement disorders earlier, which could lead to better treatment outcomes.
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, UF Health Announce New Research and Technology Incubator
The University of Florida and the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UF Health announced today the creation of a new Research and Technology Innovation Incubator.
Selected for support through UF President Ben Sasse’s strategic funding process, this 20,000-square-foot space will serve as a state-of-the-art hub for interdisciplinary collaborations among the colleges. The $960,000 initiative also will establish the Fixel Institute as an international destination for leading-edge science and collaboration.
Fixel Institute Becomes the First National Ataxia Foundation Center of Excellence in Florida
The National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) announces the recognition of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Disease at UF Health as a NAF Ataxia Center of Excellence (CoE), making it the first CoE in the state of Florida and one of 15 nationwide.
UF Joins Global Study Into Parkinson’s Onset and Progression
The University of Florida has been selected to join The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s landmark clinical study, the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), a global project seeking to discover new insights into the onset and progression of Parkinson’s disease by studying people with and without the disease.
UF, UF Health Announce Gift and New $75 Million Initiative To Expand Norman Fixel Institute
The University of Florida and UF Health announced an additional $25 million gift from the Lauren and Lee Fixel Family Foundation aimed at improving the lives of patients across the globe through the continued expansion of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UF Health.
HIV Drug Shows Potential To Combat Genetic Form of Dystonia in Preclinical Study
A new UF study found that an FDA-approved medication to treat HIV restored multiple brain abnormalities in a mouse model of a genetic form of dystonia.
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.
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.
