Research
Parkinson's
Victoria supports a range of basic and clinical research
to improve the quality of life of people living with Parkinson'
s. We also advocate via state, national and international
forums for increased support for Parkinson' s research.
We welcome your financial support for Parkinson's research.
Your tax deductible donation is welcome. You can also obtain
details on how you can make a bequest. Through donations
and bequests supporters can help fund valuable research
projects.
Research
aids in learning more about the mysteries of Parkinson’s
and the way it impacts upon all aspects of life. Research
also assists in developing new treatments – and, we
anticipate, will result in a cure being discovered.
Parkinson’s Victoria plays a very important role in
funding and supporting research into Parkinson’s.
Our funded research seeks not only to find a cure for the
condition, but also supports programs and studies with a
view to assisting people to live with Parkinson’s,
enhancing quality of life and independence.
Parkinson's
Victoria has financially supported or partnered with the
following research institutions in recent years:
- Monash
Institute of Neurological Diseases
- Brain
Bank Victoria
- Swinburne
University
- Melbourne
University
- Deakin
University
- Michael
J Fox Foundation
- Howard
Florey Institute
In addition, the Parkinson’s and wider community can
play a vital role directly supporting research by participating
in various studies. Research into Parkinson’s is ongoing
and there are a number of projects currently taking place
throughout Australia and internationally, varying in their
scope, area of interest and level of participant involvement.
Participating in Parkinson’s research is a unique
way to assist further understanding of this neurological
condition, and ultimately to improve the quality of life
for those who are living with Parkinson’s, perhaps
even assisting to find a cure. People with Parkinson’s,
and also without Parkinson’s, can participate in Parkinson’s-related
research projects.
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NHMRC – Parkinson’s Victoria
Translating Research Into Practice (TRIP) Fellowship
Partnership Awards
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The NHMRC TRIP Fellowship Program builds capacity by developing health care professionals into leaders in knowledge translation and clinical implementation of evidence. The Fellowships are intended to promote implementation of established evidence rather than further development of the evidence base for an intervention. Fellows gain practical hands-on implementation experience by proposing and undertaking an implementation research project. The NHMRC sources influential leaders in health care to mentor the TRIP Fellows and provides networking opportunities and access to health-related expertise to the Fellows.
The NHMRC-Parkinson’s Victoria TRIP Fellowship will provide an opportunity for a health professional to undertake a practical project and to develop a leadership role in improving research practice for Parkinson’s in Australia. Project proposals should nominate and address an important evidence-practice gap in the identification and/or management of Parkinson’s research.
The award will be co-funded by Parkinson’s Victoria and NHMRC, and is supported through training in implementing evidence, influencing and managing change and communicating research findings. This is delivered through workshops and masterclasses where you will meet both national and international figures in the field of Implementation Science. The two-year half-time award is open to early career health care professionals.
The 2013 TRIP Fellowship round is now officially open. For further information on the TRIP Fellowship, please visit the  NHMRC website
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Would
you like to paricipate in a research project?
Visit
the 
Participate
in Research page to find out more about current
projects.
Stem
Cells
Curious
about stem cell treatments?
The
International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) has
recently launched a new website 'A closer look at Stem Cell
treatments' which will provide consumers with expert knowledge
about considerations to make when considering stem cell
treatments. The website provides educational resources to
help understand stem cell research and it addresses frequently
asked questions. A key feature of the website is to look
at online claims by clinics who promote stem cell treatments
so that potential patients can make a better informed assessment
of these treatments.
For
more information visit www.closerlookatstemcells.org
The
International Society for Stem Cell Research is an independent,
nonprofit organisation established to promote and foster
the exchange and dissemination of information and ideas
relating to stem cells, to encourage the general field of
research involving stem cells and to promote professional
and public education in all areas of stem cell research
and application.
The
Australian Stem Cell Centre has prepared a media release
which you can download
International
Stem Cell Society to Provide Guidance on Unproven Stem Cell
Treatments (June 2010)
Participate
in research
There
are many research studies taking place at the moment which
are looking for participants. Participating in research
is a wonderful and often enjoyable way in which the Parkinson's
community can make a positive difference.
Visit
the 
Research
> Participate in Research section of this website
to learn more about the many other research projects which
are calling for participants.
Parkinson's
Victoria supported research projects
National Parkinson's Disease Foundation (NPF) Research Project
This project is advocating for better care for people with Parkinson’s disease. The primary outcome is quality of life. It will also measure other aspects of impairment, functioning and participation. The NPF are aiming to gain government support to further fund services for Parkinson’s Disease so all people living with Parkinson’s disease can access the services they desire.
For more information about the study and to find details on how to get involved, please download the NPF research project 2012 flyer.
Curtin University: Attitudes to
seeking psychological help in Parkinson's Disease
Researchers from the School of Psychology and Speech Pathology
from Curtin University in Perth are currently exploring attitudes to seeking
psychological help among people with Parkinson's.
PhD student Lakkhina Troeung along with Dr Natalie Gasson and Dr
Sarah Egan would like to ask for your assistance in completing a 30-minute
online survey investigating factors that may or may not influence your decision
to seek psychological treatment (should you ever need it).
Any person with Parkinson's may complete the survey. The survey
is completely anonymous and no personal identification details will be
collected. While completing the survey may have no direct benefit to you, the
team at Curtin University hope that you will take a little time to fill in your
answers in order to help them learn a bit more about psychological problems in
Parkinson's Disease and how to best help people who might have them.
For more information about the study and to access the
questionnaire, please visit http://psych.curtin.edu.au/research/phd/ltroeung.cfm.
Swinburne University
Professor Susan Moore, supported by Parkinson's Victoria
and Swinburne Alumni, has published research on public attitudes
on Parkinson's. The article, published in the Journal of
Applied Psychology, can be downloaded here 
Beliefs about
Parkinson's Disease
Living with Parkinson's
"Watching my father battle the social difficulties
presented by having Parkinson's for over 20 years has inspired
this project", says Louise Cooper, researcher at Swinburne
University. Reports from people with the illness indicate
that relationships with friends, work colleagues and health
providers can all make a difference as to how Parkinson's
is experienced.
However, most of the social research into Parkinson's concentrates
on relationships with wives, husbands or partners. It has
been found, for instance, that in some cases tremors can
increase when things are not going well between a husband
and wife.
Louise Cooper and Dr Simon Knowles at Swinburne University
are currently investigating the extent to which different
types of relationships might influence the experience of
the illness.
What
role do friends play?
In the 21st century is it possible that the Internet might
be able to improve the lives of people living with Parkinson's?
How influential are support groups?
Updates on this research project will be published here
when they become available.
Deakin University
As part of a collaborative research project between Deakin
University and Parkinson’s Victoria, Australian Huntington's
Disease Association (Vic) Ltd, Motor Neurone Disease Association,
and the MS Society of Victoria, Professor Marita McCabe
and Dr. Lucy Firth and the above organisations are undertaking
a research project to examine the impact of the financial
costs of chronic neurological illness on the quality of
life of people with these illnesses and their families.
Deakin University will examine changes to employment and
income, and direct and indirect costs incurred due to these
illnesses. The study is currently in phase one, which involves
interviewing families and Health Professionals.
Michael J Fox Foundation
As part of our commitment to research we became the first
international co-funder of the Michael J. Fox Foundation's
'Community Fast Track ' initiative. Under this program,
researchers are invited to submit their best ideas for research
relevant to the cure, cause, prevention or improved treatment
of Parkinson's and its complications through an abbreviated
application process.
This initiative is designed to stimulate novel, innovative
and/or high-impact approaches to the field of Parkinson's
and fill funding gaps missed by more conventional funding
sources. In addition to its primary goals, the program has
been successful in attracting new investigators to the field
of Parkinson's.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research is
dedicated to the fastest possible end to Parkinson's and
to date has funded nearly $35 million in research with another
$10-15 million more to be spent by the end of this year.
Parkinson's Victoria is proud to support such a vigorous
effort to find a cure. For more information, visit www.michaeljfox.org
Melbourne University
Researchers
from The University of Melbourne, Southern Health and Monash
University have won a major international research grant
to discover more about how to prevent falls and improve
mobility in people with Parkinson's disease. Led by Professor
Meg Morris from The School of Physiotherapy at The University
of Melbourne and Kingston Centre and with Professor Robert
Iansek, Dr Frances Huxham, Dr Jennifer McGinley, Dr Anna
Murphy, Dr Hylton Menz and Ms Jennifer Watts, the study
will evaluate the effects of different falls prevention
and mobility enhancement strategies. As well as measuring
falls and quality of life, the researchers will conduct
an economic analysis of the costs associated with falls.
Parkinson's disease affects more than 80,000 Australians
and more than 2 million people in the world. Over 50% of
community dwelling people with Parkinson's disease fall
and many suffer serious fractures and injuries. Professor
Morris' team have specialised in Parkinson's for the last
10 years and have published more than 150 articles on how
to improve walking, movement and balance.
Data
will be collected at Kingston Centre and Elsternwick Private
Hospitals. The results will immediately be used by clinicians
at Kingston, Elsternwick and throughout the world, to improve
the lives of people with this debilitating neurological
condition. Enquiries to Professor Morris m.morris@unimelb.edu.au
