Landmark funding. Bold research. A brighter future for Parkinson’s.

This year, a record-high amount of more than $2.6 million in research funding was approved for 33 research grants and fellowship awards. The successful recipients’ dedication to Parkinson’s research and innovation was apparent in their applications. We’re pleased to award funding across five key themes

• Detection and diagnosis: 9 projects
• Living well with Parkinson’s: 5 projects
• Causes of Parkinson’s: 10 projects
• Disease-modifying interventions: 5 projects
• Symptomatic treatments: 4 projects

Funding across these themes ensures a comprehensive and diversified body of work, driving progress across the full spectrum of Parkinson’s research, from understanding the condition at its roots to improving quality of life for those living with Parkinson’s.

Funding support for clinical fellowships helps to strengthen access to Parkinson’s care by training the next generation of neurologists and neurosurgeons, who will diagnose, treat, and manage care for people living with Parkinson’s across the country. With eight fellows funded this year and an exceptionally competitive application pool, we’re excited to see such strong interest in this field to expand expertise and to support the future leaders in Parkinson’s care and research.

For this funding cycle, Parkinson Canada placed a strong emphasis on advancing research focused on the health and well-being of women living with Parkinson’s. Women often experience the condition differently due to a complex mix of biological, hormonal, and health care factors.

Dr. Therese Di Paolo from Université Laval, one of this year’s funded researchers, is tackling a challenge that disproportionately affects women with Parkinson’s. While levodopa remains the gold standard for symptom treatment, in certain cases, prolonged use can lead to levodopa-induced dyskinesias, which are involuntary movements; this development can happen faster in women than in men. As Dr. Di Paolo explains, “Female hormonal status may underlie this susceptibility, possibly by modifying the individual dyskinetic sensitivity to levodopa through estrogens and/or lack thereof in menopause,” underscoring the need to investigate and better understand these differences.

“Female hormonal status may underlie this susceptibility, possibly by modifying the individual dyskinetic sensitivity to levodopa through estrogens and/or lack thereof in menopause”

– Dr. Therese Di Paolo

Her research explores a promising path forward. Estrogen has been shown to reduce dyskinesias and improve Parkinson’s symptoms, but its use in treatment has been limited due to associated cancer risks and hormonal side effects. To address this, her team is testing safer, estrogen-based alternatives in female models that reflect both Parkinson’s disease and menopause, a critical but often overlooked intersection in research. Dr. Di Paolo notes, “Our project aims to optimize the beneficial/negative activities of estrogens to treat dyskinesias. We expect that these tested alternatives will reduce dyskinesias.”

Together, these investments highlight the strength, diversity, and momentum of the 2026 Annual Research Competition. Parkinson Canada is proud to congratulate all funded researchers and clinicians whose work will help shape the future of Parkinson’s care and research across Canada.