Webinar: Addressing the sex and gender gaps in Parkinson’s research

To mark International Women’s Day, Cure Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s UK are hosting a free webinar on March 6, 2025 at 5:00 pm GMT.

Women are drastically underrepresented in Parkinson’s research, and our lack of understanding on sex and gender differences means people with Parkinson’s are not receiving the highest quality of care possible. We invite researchers from all stages to this webinar to join us in discussing the current knowledge on sex and gender differences in Parkinson’s and the importance of considering these in your research.

Our chairs Richelle Flanagan and Shafaq Ali, two women living with Parkinson’s, are joined by a panel of Parkinson’s experts who will share their experiences examining sex and gender differences in their research and emphasize how looking at data through this lens elevates our overall understanding of Parkinson’s. Additionally, this webinar will highlight some of the initiatives that are helping to bridge these gaps and actions you can take to begin addressing this in your own research.  

Meet our panelists

Richelle Flanagan (Co-Chair) is a World Parkinson’s Congress Ambassador, co-founder of the Women’s Parkinson’s Project and My Moves Matter, a self-management digital app for PwP, and registered dietitian based in Ireland. As someone who has lived with PD for the past 8 years, Richelle is passionate about advocating and raising awareness for the unmet needs of women with Parkinson’s.

Shafaq Ali (Co-Chair) is a Parkinson’s advocate with a background in working as a Dentist and Sedationist for the NHS. After her diagnosis at age 40, Shafaq has dedicated much time to promoting Parkinson’s research, especially in regard to encouraging participation and volunteering. She sits on the Research Inequalities in Research Steering group for Parkinson’s UK where she serves as a lay reviewer for grants, takes part in research, and assists with outreach. Most recently, she has also taken on a role as an Honorary Research Fellow at QMUL.

Professor Camille Carroll is a Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at Newcastle University and the University of Plymouth, as well as an Honorary Consultant Neurologist at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. She is also the co-chair for Cure Parkinson’s and Van Andel Institute’s iLCT committee, founding co-deputy of the PD-CSG, and co-chair of the International MDS Patient and Carer Committee. Prof Carroll’s research focuses on potentially neuroprotective therapies for Parkinson’s and improving trial accessibility and experiences for people with Parkinson’s.

Dr Manon Auffret is a pharmacist and neuroscience researcher at the University of Rennes, University Hospital of Rennes, and the Institiut des Neurosciences Cliniques de Rennes. Dr Auffret also serves as a member of the MDS Women in Movement Disorders Group and COA Education and Training Committee, as well as sits on several panels for the European Academy of Neurology. Her research specialty is in Parkinson’s, with a focus on apomorphine, therapeutics, and pharmacokinetics.

Dr Laura Smith is a Lecturer in Health Psychology, Research Psychologist, and Behavioural Scientist within the Centre for Preventative Neurology at the Wolfson Institute of Population Health Queen Mary University London. She leads programmes at the Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy and serves as a Sponsorship Officer for the British Neuropsychological Society. Her research focuses on using psychological and neuropsychological theories to better understand, assess and treat neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s.