Movement & Neurodegenerative Disorders Research

Movement Disorders Research at BIDMC

At BIDMC, our researchers and doctors work hard to understand and treat movement disorders. These include Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease, dystonia, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Parkinson's Disease Research & Clinical Trials

Our team at the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center is involved in many research studies and clinical trials to find new treatments for Parkinson's disease.

• We are part of the Parkinson Study Group and work with other centers to test new treatments.
• We participate in National Institutes of Health projects to slow down PD.
• We are a National Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence, which helps us fund our research and community programs.

For questions or to see if you can join a study, call Hannah Babcock, Clinical Research Coordinator, at 617-667-9890. There is no cost for study visits or care.

Huntington's Disease Research

BIDMC is a credentialed Huntington Study Group site to offer research trials with varying levels of involvement. Our research investigators are seeking to improve the treatment and care for patients with Huntington's Disease.

Contact our study coordinators at 617-667-2355 or email us with questions.

Movement & Neurodegenerative Disorders Laboratories

Our team is dedicated to finding new treatments and improving patient care through laboratory research. Our labs include:

• Benitez Lab: Led by Dr. Bruno A. Benitez, this lab is focused on a combination of state-of-the-art approaches in human genetic discoveries, functional genomic analyses with in vitro and in vivo in AD or PD mouse models experiments.
• Frank Lab: Led by Dr. Samuel Frank, this lab's research is focused on expanding and improving pharmacological and other interventions for neurodegenerative conditions, such as Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease. 
• Press Lab: Led by Dr. Daniel Press, this lab studies the effects of neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease on motor learning.
• VanderHorst Lab: Led by Dr. Veronique VanderHorst, this lab studies how circuit dysfunction in the central nervous system causes abnormal movement patterns seen in movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, dystonias or gait disorders.