What: The Michael J. Fox Foundation PD Therapeutics Conference
When: Monday, September 15, 2008, 8 a.m.–7 p.m.
Where: Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro, Chicago, Illinois
Who:
--Chair: Jeffrey Kordower, PhD, Rush University Medical Center;
--select MJFF-funded researchers;
--industry and academic scientists with an interest in PD drug development;
--members of the MJFF Scientific Advisory Board
Why: The only major scientific symposium exclusively focused on drug discovery/development for Parkinson’s disease

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The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) will host its second annual PD Therapeutics Conference on Monday, September 15, in Chicago.

Chaired by Jeffrey Kordower, PhD, Director, Research Center for Brain Repair and Jean-Schweppe Armour Professor of Neurological Sciences at Rush University Medical Center, the conference will bring together academic and industry scientists to focus on novel research advances impacting development of improved disease-modifying and symptomatic interventions for the diagnosis and treatment of PD. Select MJFF-funded investigators will present research on topics including novel neuroprotective agents, innovative mechanisms to address disease symptoms and improvements in relevant animal models, and biomarker discovery/development. In addition to scientific talks, a small poster session will highlight novel targets and animal models relevant to PD research.

Confirmed speakers include:
--D. James Surmeier, PhD (Northwestern University), on the FDA-approved diabetes drug that may protect dopamine neurons in the Parkinson’s brain

--Anders Björkund, MD, PhD (Lund University, Sweden), on the role of serotonin (better known for the part it plays in depression) in dyskinesias, the disruptive movements brought on by long-term dopamine replacement therapy

--Erwan Bezard, PhD (Universite Victor Segalen, Bordeaux, France), and Piu Chan, MD, PhD (Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, China), on conducting pre-clinical and clinical research in China

--Patrik Brundin, MD, PhD (Lund University, Sweden), on the state of cell replacement approaches for Parkinson’s disease

Registration is free for accredited members of the press.

Last year’s inaugural conference in New York City drew a multidisciplinary audience of nearly 200 academic, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry researchers.

Funding for the PD Therapeutics Conference has been provided by Elan Corporation, plc, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and the Licensing Executive Society (LES).