Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence for Parkinson's Disease Research

The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is to reduce the burden of neurological disease—a burden borne by every age group, by every segment of society, and by people all over the world. As a part of this mission, the NINDS supports basic, translational and clinical research on Parkinson's disease (PD), a devastating and complex neurodegenerative disorder that progressively impairs the control of purposeful movement. 

The NINDS Parkinson's Disease Research Centers of Excellence program was developed in honor of former Congressman Morris K. Udall of Arizona. Mr. Udall was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1961 in a special election to replace his brother Stewart, who left the position to become President John F. Kennedy's Secretary of Interior. Representative Udall was diagnosed with PD in 1979; however, he remained active in Congress until his retirement in May 1991. He died in 1998 after a long battle with the disease. On November 13, 1997, the President of the United States signed the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Disease Research Act of 1997 into law (P.L. 105-78).

In 1997, the NINDS released a Request for Applications to establish the first Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research. Udall Centers utilize a multidisciplinary research approach to elucidate the fundamental causes of PD as well as to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with Parkinson's and related neurodegenerative disorders.

The Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence Program continues to forge a strong and innovative path in PD research. These Centers carry out important research on PD, including the identification and characterization of candidate and disease-associated genes, examination of neurobiological mechanisms, establishment of improved PD models, development and testing of potential therapeutics, and novel avenues of clinical research. The Centers continue to create and foster an environment that enhances the research effectiveness of investigators in a multidisciplinary setting, utilizing specialized methods relevant to the study of this disorder.

NINDS is committed to continuing and enhancing the tradition of scientific excellence fostered by the Udall Centers and will continue efforts to strengthen the Udall program in coming years.

Funding Opportunities

NINDS Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease Research (P50). Letters of Intent December 23, 2012; application receipt date January 23, 2012. Contact: Beth-Anne Sieber, PhD.

Udall Centers Across the Country

	Columbia University New York City, New York Director: Robert E. Burke, M.D.
	Emory University Atlanta, Georgia Director: Thomas Wichmann, M.D.
	Feinstein Institute for Medical Research Manhasset, New York Director: David Eidelberg, M.D.
	Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore, Maryland Director: Ted M. Dawson, M.D., Ph.D.
	Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville Jacksonville, Florida Director: Dennis W. Dickson, M.D.
	Michigan State University Grand Rapids, Michigan Director: Timothy J. Collier, Ph.D.
	Northwestern University Chicago, Illinois Director: D. James Surmeier, Ph.D.
	University of Miami Miami, Florida Director: Jeffery M. Vance, M.D., Ph.D.
	University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Director: John Q. Trojanowski, M.D., Ph.D.
	University of Washington Seattle, Washington Director: Thomas J. Montine, M.D., Ph.D.

Udall Center Directors Annual Meeting Summaries

• 14th Annual Udall Centers Directors' Meeting (2012)
• 13th Annual Udall Centers Directors' Meeting (2011)
• 12th Annual Udall Centers Directors' Meeting (2010)
• 11th Annual Udall Centers Directors' Meeting (2009)

Reports

• Udall Centers Evaluation - 2007 Data and Recommendation Reports