Back to What Researchers Say About MJFF

Angela Cenci-Nilsson, MD, PhD - Bio

I always say you can’t “cheat” with The Michael J. Fox Foundation. The staff are highly committed, truly capable people. They monitor your progress; they’re extremely aware of where Parkinson’s research is going and where it needs to go. They won’t fund a project just because it’s trendy, or because of a scientist’s famous name. Their goal is to promote quality research with high translational value, and they do everything to achieve that goal.

The Foundation’s emphasis on high-risk, high-reward science has led to new research directions in my lab. When I first started working on dyskinesia, I was focused exclusively on the regulation of gene expression in the striatum. But dyskinesia involves many additional processes and brain systems. In part because of the insight and encouragement we’ve gotten from MJFF, my team today is taking a broader approach to understanding what causes dyskinesia and finding new targets for treatment.

Of course I feel gratitude to the Foundation, because for me — a young investigator based in Europe — being recognized by an internationally renowned PD funder has opened many doors. But more than that, it’s an organization that has earned my sincere admiration.