- Professor Oliver Bandmann, Co-Director of the cross-faculty Neuroscience Institute will be the chair of a Translational Research Collaboration focussing on Parkinson’s disease (PD-TRC). This initiative will be funded by the National Institute for Health Care and Research (NIHR)
- The new collaboration is one of only eight such groups in the UK which aims to tackle research challenges in key health areas by facilitating multi-disciplinary research
- Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurological disorder that causes a range of life changing symptoms including tremors, slow movement, and cognitive impairment which can worsen over time. Around 166,000 people live with Parkinson’s in the UK
A Sheffield clinician scientist is spearheading a national network to find better treatment for Parkinson’s, by bridging the gap between scientific discovery and transformative patient care.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) appointed Professor Oliver Bandmann, from the University of Sheffield, to lead a Translational Research Collaboration focussing on PD and related disorders (PD-TRC) which will bring together a multi-disciplinary group of experts dedicated to researching the disease.
This is one of only eight such NIHR-funded collaborations across all areas of Medicine. He will be supported by Professor Camille Carroll, from NIHR Newcastle BRC, and Professor Alistair Noyce at Queen Mary University of London as co-deputy chairs.
Professor Bandmann is a Professor of Movement Disorders Neurology from the University of Sheffield’s Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), as well as Honorary Consultant Neurologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. He is also Co-Director of the cross-faculty UoS Neuroscience Institute. In 2024, he was awarded the Tom Isaacs Prize for his contribution to Parkinson’s research and patient care.
Professor Oliver Bandmann said: “Parkinson’s Disease can be devastating for those that live with it, and despite progress in treatment and detection we still haven’t found treatment to slow down the disease and address every patient’s needs.
“This is why this new, NIHR-funded Translational Research Collaboration with specific focus on Parkinson’s and related disorders is so important. When experts collaborate, barriers can be overcome, and great things can happen. We also have strong support from all relevant patient charities. Furthermore, people with Parkinson’s will be closely involved to ensure that their voice will be heard. I am excited for what we can achieve.”
“The NIHR-PD-TRC represents a unique opportunity to transform early-phase clinical research in Parkinson’s disease and related disorders in the UK. It aims to bridge the gap between promising preclinical discoveries and clinical trials.”
Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurological disorder that causes a range of life changing symptoms including tremors, slow movement, and cognitive impairment, and can worsen over time.
Around 166,000 people are living with Parkinson’s in the UK, with someone diagnosed with the condition every 20 minutes. By 2050, the number of people with Parkinson’s worldwide will double to 25 million.
Professor Bandmann’s appointment builds on the University of Sheffield’s outstanding track record of leading crucial Parkinson’s research, driving innovation in treatment, bringing hope to millions of people affected by the disease worldwide.
Professor Christopher McDermott, Director NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre and Professor of Translational Neurology at the University of Sheffield, said: "We are delighted to be hosting this UK-wide research collaboration.
"This is a fantastic opportunity to bring together expertise in Parkinson's disease and associated neurological conditions from across the NHS, academia, patients, industry and charity organisations to maximise the benefits of groundbreaking research taking place in Biomedical Research Centres across the country and ensure potentially life-changing scientific discoveries in Parkinson’s treatment and care can be quickly translated for patient benefit."
This partnership brings together experts with different perspectives, united by a shared aim to address barriers in Parkinson’s disease research.
Professor David Dexter, Research Director at Parkinson’s UK, added: “Parkinson’s UK is honoured to support the NIHR-PD-TRC which will coordinate patient-centred research, improve access to expertise and infrastructure and foster translation of new medicines to patients. Importantly patients will be at the heart of the TRC, which will also break down silos and foster collaborations across the whole research ecosystem. Ultimately this will result in people with Parkinson’s getting new treatments faster.”
