A team of researchers- Professor Leigh Hale and Dr Paulo Henrique Silva Pelicioni, of the School of Physiotherapy, at New Zealand-based Otago University have secured funding from the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to answer questions such as what does Parkinson’s look like for the local people, and how can we improve the quality of care for those affected?

The grant, valued at $504,000, is the largest ever sum the MJFF has given the University of Otago, and is from the Foundation’s research efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in Parkinson’s disease research.

The three-year project will help to understand the progression of motor and non-motor symptoms and functional mobility of Parkinson’s disease in New Zealand.

Dr Pelicioni – renowned for his work in balance disorders and fall risk in people with Parkinson’s disease – says: “The aim of the study is to improve the quality of life for Māori and Pasifika peoples living with the disease.”