Join The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s mission to find better treatments and ultimately a cure. Whether you have Parkinson’s disease (PD) or not, participating in research is one way to contribute to efforts to develop innovative treatments. In this research roundup blog, we share MJFF-funded and partnering studies that are actively recruiting volunteers. Some investigate ways to treat motor symptoms and slow disease progression. Some follow participants over time to learn more about disease. 

Learn more through the links on how to get involved in each study. Please spread the word of these studies to your networks!  

• Landmark Study Enrolling Anyone Aged 18+: MJFF’s landmark study, the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), is recruiting volunteers with and without PD. The study is exploring how brain disease starts and changes in people of all backgrounds. PPMI is open to anyone over age 18 — with and without Parkinson’s — in the U.S. Learn more and join the study that’s changing everything. Smell loss can be an early sign of Parkinson’s risk. PPMI is also offering free smell tests to anyone age 60 and up without Parkinson’s. Request a free scratch-and-sniff test today and contribute to important research at mysmelltest.org/mjff.   

• Light Therapy for Parkinson’s Symptoms: The LIGHT-PD study is investigating the effectiveness of light therapy for participants at home, in improving Parkinson's disease symptoms. The study aims to enhance both motor and non-motor functions alongside current treatments, offering a convenient, non-invasive approach to care. Participants must be age 45 and up with PD. The study will enroll 300 participants to undergo four video conference visits over six months. Learn more about eligibility and contact a site near you.
• Parkinson’s Medication Trialing Motor Symptom Changes: The ATLANTIS Study is testing an oral medication, UCB0022, taken once daily alongside standard PD medication. Sponsored by UCB, the study aims to assess the medication’s effectiveness, safety, tolerability and evaluate how the medication is processed in the body with an aim to reduce motor symptoms. Eligible participants must be between ages 35 and 80, living in the US, diagnosed with PD five or more years ago and whose motor symptoms change significantly over the day. Additional criteria may apply. Learn more about the study and enroll by visiting atlantis-study.com. 

• Study to Predict Change in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD): The Syn-Sleep Study is a long-term clinical study dedicated to people diagnosed with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, which can be associated with the development of Parkinson's disease and related conditions. The goal of this NIH-supported study, sponsored by CND Life Sciences, is to predict when the disease is going to change using the Syn-One Test® by looking at the nerves of the skin with a simple skin biopsy procedure. Eligible participants must be between ages 18-85 with a history of acting out their dreams or repeated episodes of sleep-related complex motor behaviors. 40 patients will be enrolled with a clinical diagnosis of RBD and 40 patients with a clinical diagnosis of RBD confirmed by sleep study (polysomnogram) will be enrolled. Learn more and contact a site near you. Learn more and contact a site near you.  

• Drug to Slow Disease by Lowering LRRK2 Activity: A long-watched Phase IIb trial has begun. In the LUMA study, Denali and Biogen are testing BIIB122 (formerly DNL151), a drug to lower activity of the LRRK2 protein and slow disease. Parkinson’s — with and without a mutation in the LRRK2 gene — is linked to higher LRRK2 activity. The LUMA study is testing safety and efficacy of BIIB122 in people diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the past two years and without a LRRK2 mutation. Three sites across the U.S. are enrolling. Learn more and contact a LUMA site near you.