Dr. A. Jon Stoessl recognized with 2006 Donald Calne Lectureship
Ottawa, November 2006

Parkinson Canada is pleased to announce the award of the fourth annual DONALD CALNE LECTURESHIP to Dr. A. Jon Stoessl, Director of the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver.

Dr. A. Jon Stoessl was awarded the Canada Research Chair in CNS Disorders in 2001 and is Professor of Medicine (Neurology) at UBC. A native of London, UK, Dr. Stoessl moved to Canada in 1960 and obtained his MD from the University of Western Ontario in 1979. His postdoctoral work focused on movement disorders, PET technology, Alzheimer’s disease and neuropharmacology. Dr. Stoessl’s current research is focused on understanding basal ganglia disorders, particularly Parkinson’s disease, including complications of long-term therapy. Dr. Stoessl’s lab uses positron emission tomography (PET) to study the natural history and progression of Parkinson’s disease, compensatory changes that take place during the course of the disease, and changes associated with the development of motor complications. Stoessl and his colleagues have used PET to demonstrate dopamine release as a mechanism underlying the placebo effect in Parkinson’s.

This lectureship was established in 2002 to honour Dr. Donald Calne for his outstanding service to the Parkinson’s community as Professor of Neuroscience, University of British Columbia and past chair and long time member of the Scientific Advisory Board, Parkinson Canada. A distinguished neuroscientist of international reputation, whose work is primarily in the area of Parkinson’s Disease, is awarded the Lectureship each year. The recipient delivers a “state of the illness” lecture on Parkinson’s Disease to the Parkinson community at Parkinson Canada’s Annual Meetings, held each year in November. This year’s lecture will be given on Friday, November 3rd, 2006 in Ottawa, during the weekend of Parkinson Canada’s Annual Meetings.