The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) is a U.S. non-profit organization established in 2000 by actor Michael J. Fox and Deborah W. Brooks. Its core mission is to find a cure for Parkinson's disease through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensure the development of improved therapies for those currently living with the condition. The foundation's headquarters are located in New York City, NY.

As the world's largest non-profit funder of Parkinson's research, MJFF focuses on accelerating high-impact research, facilitating faster clinical trials, and fostering collaboration among scientists, biotech companies, and patients. Key initiatives include the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), which gathers data and samples to advance understanding and treatment; Fox Insight, an online clinical study collecting patient data; and Fox Trial Finder, which connects volunteers with clinical trials. The foundation also prioritizes early detection and biomarkers, next-generation therapies, patient-driven research, and public policy advocacy.

Under the leadership of Co-Founder and CEO Deborah W. Brooks and Founder Michael J. Fox, MJFF continues to drive significant progress. In April 2026, MJFF, in partnership with Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP), announced $261 million in new grant funding for the Collaborative Research Network to advance understanding of Parkinson's disease and develop personalized treatments. The 2026 Parkinson's Unity Walk also raised nearly $2 million for research. To date, the foundation has funded over $3 billion in research, and a 2024 report by MJFF highlighted the annual economic impact of Parkinson's disease in the U.S. as exceeding $82.2 billion.

Latest updates

Michael J. Fox Foundation Shifts Parkinson's Study to Precision Medicine

Event summary

  • The Michael J. Fox Foundation renames its 15-year-old Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) to the Parkinson's Precision Medicine Initiative, reflecting a shift toward biology-driven research.
  • The study now includes over 4,200 in-clinic participants across 50 sites in 12 countries and over 47,000 online participants.
  • PPMI data has been downloaded more than 50 million times, accelerating discovery across the field.
  • The foundation has invested over $800 million in building one of the most comprehensive Parkinson's datasets in the world.

The big picture

The renaming of PPMI to the Parkinson's Precision Medicine Initiative marks a strategic pivot toward biology-driven research, aligning with broader industry trends in personalized medicine. With Parkinson's prevalence rising faster than projected and over 75 potential disease-modifying therapies in development, the shift underscores the urgency to move toward earlier and more targeted treatments. The foundation's extensive dataset and global participant base position it as a key player in advancing Parkinson's research.

What we're watching

Precision Medicine Adoption
How the shift to precision medicine will accelerate the development of targeted therapies for Parkinson's disease.
Data Utilization
Whether the extensive PPMI dataset will continue to drive breakthroughs in early detection and treatment.
Participant Engagement
The pace at which remote participation and digital health data contributions will expand the study's reach.

Michael J. Fox Foundation Unity Walk Raises $2M, Highlights Parkinson's Economic Burden

Event summary

  • The Michael J. Fox Foundation's 2026 Parkinson's Unity Walk in New York City drew over 3,000 attendees.
  • The event raised nearly $2 million, boosted by a $1.4 million matching donation from an anonymous donor.
  • Terry Crews and Rebecca King Crews, who is living with Parkinson's, participated in the walk to raise awareness.
  • The Foundation has funded over $3 billion in Parkinson's research since its inception.

The big picture

The Michael J. Fox Foundation's fundraising efforts are occurring against a backdrop of a rapidly growing Parkinson's disease burden in the US, with projections indicating a doubling of cases by 2050. The substantial economic impact underscores the urgency for research breakthroughs and the need for sustained financial support. The anonymous donor's matching gift demonstrates the potential for high-impact philanthropy, but also the risk of dependence on unpredictable contributions.

What we're watching

Economic Impact
The reported $82.2 billion economic impact of Parkinson's in the US underscores the need for continued fundraising and research, potentially attracting further corporate and philanthropic investment.
Donor Dynamics
The reliance on anonymous matching donations highlights the Foundation's vulnerability to donor behavior and the need to diversify funding sources to ensure long-term sustainability.
Public Profile
Rebecca King Crews’ public disclosure of her Parkinson’s diagnosis will likely amplify awareness and fundraising efforts, but the Foundation must manage this visibility to avoid over-reliance on individual narratives.
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