Clinical Training Awards

• The Melvin Yahr Parkinson’s Disease Clinical Research Award is jointly supported by the Parkinson’s Foundation and the International Association of Parkinsonism and Related Disorders (IAPRD). This award is designed to foster clinical research into any aspect of Parkinson’s disease conducted by young investigators who are under-represented in current research. By recognizing and honoring the exceptional contributions of young talented individuals, the award seeks to break down barriers and create a more inclusive and diverse healthcare community. It is expected that this initiative will spur innovation and promote the translation of cutting-edge scientific discoveries into efficient and practical health measures that will benefit people with Parkinson’s disease.

• This award honors Dr. Melvin Yahr, a leader in PD care and research who, with the Foundation’s support, played a seminal role in establishing levodopa as the gold standard symptomatic therapy for PD. In addition to his groundbreaking research, Dr. Yahr also served as a champion of young neurologists, particularly women and other under-represented groups. The goal of the award is to prepare young neurologists specializing in Parkinson’s disease for a career in clinical research. Clinician scientists are uniquely positioned to be experts in both Parkinson’s disease research and care.

This is a 1-year award for a total of $50,000. Funds can be used to support research expenses such as salary support for additional trained personnel (e.g., research assistants, study coordinators), equipment or consumables specifically needed for the research plan. Indirect costs are not allowed.

• Early-stage investigators based at universities, research hospitals, or non-profit research institutions worldwide are eligible to apply. 

• Candidates should hold an MD degree; be specialized in one of these fields: neurology, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, or related fields; be either less than 35 years old or 5 years out of the residency program (which one best applies). 

• We particularly encourage applications of investigators from under-represented countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

• Applications will contain the following sections:

  • A Research Plan describing specific aims, background/rationale of the proposed work, preliminary data (if available), experimental design (including statistical/data analysis plan), and a discussion of potential pitfalls and mitigation approaches (max 6 pages).

  • A budget and a budget justification for the one-year award.

  • A Biosketch of the Applicant in the format that follows that of the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH).

  • A Letter of Support from Department Chair or Division Head including a description of the facilities and resources available to the applicant.

  • A Letter of Motivation outlining how this award will help the applicant in their practice or research career.

For current application dates visit Award Deadlines.

In 2007 the Parkinson's Foundation and the American Brain Foundation (ABF) collaborated to support our mutual interest in training outstanding clinician-scientists in the Parkinson's field. The award aims to recognize the importance of rigorous clinical research and encourage young investigators in clinical studies.

Successful Parkinson's Foundation-ABF Clinical Research Training Scholarship applicants receive a two-year award consisting of a $65,000 annual salary plus $10,000 in educational and research-related expenses per year.

• Applicant must be an American Academy of Neurology member interested in an academic career in research, and have completed a residency or a post-doctoral fellowship (for a PhD) within the past five years of the start date of the award.
• Priority will be given to those early in their research careers.
• Applicants must define research as "patient-oriented research conducted with human subjects, or translational research specifically designed to develop treatments or enhance diagnosis of neurological disease. These areas of research include epidemiologic or behavioral studies, clinical trials, studies of disease mechanisms, the development of new technologies and health services and outcomes research." We also encourage disease-related studies not directly involving humans or human tissue if the primary goal is the development of therapies, diagnostic tests or other tools to prevent or mitigate neurological diseases.
• Award supplementation is permitted with other grants or by the fellowship institution, but fellows may not accept other fellowships, similar awards or have another source of support that exceeds $75,000 annually. If fellows obtain similar awards, they are required to submit a revised budget for review or may need to forfeit the rest of the award.
• Award only funds direct costs.

• To apply, visit AAN.com/research/clinical-training-scholarship-parkinsons
• Please only submit one application — applicants are not allowed to submit applications for more than one award. Your application may be considered for another category at the discretion of the review committee, however, the system will only allow one application per person. Visit the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Please contact Brooke Martin, Research Grant Administrator, at 612-928-6154 or BMartin@aan.com.

A grant from the Parkinson's Foundation to the Parkinson Study Group funds the Mentored Clinical Research Award for new investigators. The grant supports new investigators for a one-year project in patient-oriented research in Parkinson's or other parkinsonian disorders under the mentorship of an experienced investigator. Funding an investigator with the potential to become an independent researcher is the award goal.

We anticipate an award of $50,000 for the current application period. This award only funds direct costs.

• Applicants for the Mentored Clinical Research Award should be clinicians and scientists who are within five years of having completed formal training.
• Fellows may apply. If during formal training unusual circumstances occur delaying completion, "time out" periods will be allowed. Please explain these in the application cover letter.
• Applicants must name a mentor with extensive research experience.
• Either the applicant or the mentor must be a member of the Parkinson Study Group. The applicant may have co-mentors.

• Applicants should submit an electronic copy of their proposal in Microsoft Word or PDF format to the Parkinson Study Group via email to Roseanna.Battista@chet.rochester.edu.
  • Please include a cover letter that includes the candidate's name and title of proposal.
• Please note that this is a collaborative fellowship and for this program, applicants cannot use the Parkinson's Foundation online grant management system.

• Please visit the PSG Award Announcement page for more award details.

Nurses are key to patient care across the trajectory of Parkinson’s disease. Direct care, patient education, and case management are just a few of the varied roles and areas of expertise nurses bring to patients and families. The Parkinson’s Foundation recognizes the value of nurses who are educated in Parkinson’s disease. Therefore, the Parkinson’s Foundation is sponsoring seed grant funding intended to support Edmond J. Safra Visiting Nurse Scholars, through the Parkinson’s Foundation Nurse Faculty Award.

The Parkinson’s Foundation Nurse Faculty Award is for a maximum of $10,000 a year. Up to 10% of the award total, i.e., $1,000, may be used to defray indirect costs. Salary support is permitted.

This award supports up to a maximum of $10,000 for a scholar to take her/his Edmond J. Safra Visiting Nurse Faculty Program independent project to the next step or to explore expanding another idea that would enhance their ability to teach about Parkinson’s or increase the learning of Parkinson’s disease among nurses, students, or patients. Only nurse faculty who have completed the Edmond J. Safra Visiting Nurse Faculty Program at the Parkinson’s Foundation may apply.

• The award provides an institution with the funds to support a Parkinson’s Foundation Movement Disorder Fellow’s salary and associated costs for two years. The institution is responsible for recruiting and selecting the fellow to receive training as part of the application process: this is not an individual award.
• Fellowship programs will be evaluated on their previous experience training fellows in movement disorders. This includes their clinical care, research environment and training opportunities. Programs that provide fellows with clinical training and in-depth research exposure are encouraged to apply. The Foundation will also take into consideration less-established programs where Foundation support could provide an opportunity for growth with the potential for geographic, patient, or fellow diversity.

• The award provides annual support of up to $86,500 for salary, matching the institution’s PGY-5/6 pay scale. An additional 20% of salary will be included for other costs such as fringe benefits, malpractice insurance, research allowance and travel. The potential total award is $103,800 per year for up to two years. There is no provision for the deduction of institutional overhead or other indirect costs.
• It is anticipated that 3-4 awards will be funded via this RFA. The limit is one award per institution and funding is identified for new/first year fellows only with the goal of increasing the number of trained movement disorder specialist.

• The award is open to North American institutions with an established movement disorders fellowship program. Potential fellows may be of any nationality and must have completed a residency in neurology.
• Individuals may not apply.
• Movement Disorder Fellowship programs, except those that were awarded funding in the most recent 2022 grant cycle are eligible to apply

• On describing your Movement Disorders Fellowship program, proposals should address the following questions:
  • How does the Fellowship training differ from year 1 to year 2?
  • Detailed description of clinical exposure and training (continuity clinic, advanced therapies, diverse patient experience and opportunity, curriculum)
  • What exposure to clinical research, genetic testing/counseling and basic science is available to fellows?
  • What opportunities or programs does your institution provided to advance healthcare equity in movement disorders?
  • How is the mentoring program structured?
  • How are the interests and strengths of individual fellows addressed through mentoring and the overall training plan?
  • Who is the primary mentor for the program and why was this person chosen?

Please contact ClinicalAffairs@Parkinson.org with any questions or interest in attending an informational webinar regarding this award.