AMERICAN PARKINSON DISEASE ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES FIRST BRIDGE FUNDING AWARDS TO SUSTAIN CRITICAL PARKINSON'S RESEARCH

APDA responds rapidly to the challenging funding climate with a bridge initiative supporting three promising researchers.

NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) today announced the recipients of its inaugural Bridge Funding Awards, a new research funding program created and launched in quick response to the increasingly difficult funding climate for Parkinson's disease (PD) research.

The APDA Bridge Funding Awards were conceived and approved by the APDA Board of Directors earlier this year to help sustain promising research programs and retain talented investigators who are facing unexpected gaps in support. The program was announced in July 2025 and, following a rapid review and decision process by the APDA Scientific Advisory Board, three researchers were selected this October to receive one-year awards totaling $205,000 in support.

"This program reflects APDA's deep commitment to the scientists behind the breakthroughs," said Rebecca Gilbert, MD, PhD, Chief Mission Officer, APDA. "When researchers face abrupt funding losses, their critical work, and sometimes their careers, can be derailed. We acted quickly to make sure that didn't happen. Thanks to the leadership of our Board of Directors and our Scientific Advisory Board, we were able to design, launch, and fund this new mechanism in record time."

The APDA Bridge Funding Awards were open specifically to past APDA-funded researchers within the past three years, ensuring continuity of APDA's investment in its research community. The three recipients represent diverse and high-impact areas of Parkinson's research:

• Dr. Donghe Yang, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – advancing the development of next-generation cell replacement therapies by uncovering how the most vulnerable midbrain dopaminergic neurons (A9 subtype) develop and function.
• Dr. Helen Hwang, Washington University in St. Louis – pursuing biomarkers of cognitive decline by validating key cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) synaptic proteins linked to Parkinson's-related dementia.
• Dr. Franchino Porciuncula, Boston University – studying how music-based rhythmic cueing can improve gait and reduce cognitive load during walking in people with Parkinson's disease.

Each of these projects faced time-sensitive funding disruptions but demonstrated clear scientific merit and potential for continued impact. Bridge support from APDA will help these investigators preserve critical research continuity, sustain key personnel, and position their work for future federal and philanthropic support.

"We are proud that APDA could step in quickly to make a difference," added Dr. Gilbert. "This is just the beginning. We will continue to explore new ways to help Parkinson's researchers weather the challenges of today's funding environment so their important work can keep moving forward."

For more information about the Bridge Funding Awards or APDA's research programs, visit www.apdaparkinson.org/research.

About the American Parkinson Disease Association:
The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) is a nationwide grassroots network dedicated to fighting Parkinson's disease (PD) and works tirelessly to assist the more than one million people with PD in the United States live life to the fullest in the face of this chronic, neurological disorder. Founded in 1961, APDA has raised and invested more than $313 million to provide outstanding patient services and educational programs, elevate public awareness about the disease, and support research designed to unlock the mysteries of PD and end this disease. To join in the fight against Parkinson's disease and to learn more about the support APDA provides nationally through a network of Chapters and Information & Referral (I&R) Centers, as well as a national Research Program and Centers for Advanced Research, please visit us at www.apdaparkinson.org.

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SOURCE American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc.