Clinical Trials Network

HOPE IN MOTION - Inside the research shaping tomorrow's treatments

On 21 April 2026, the MDSANZ Clinical Trials Network hosted the second instalment of our Hope in Motion public webinar - bringing patients, families, and the broader community an inside look at the research underway across Australia and New Zealand to better understand, treat, and one day change the course of Parkinson's disease and related conditions.

Across eight talks, our speakers explored the breadth of what the CTN and its partners are working on right now: from the genetics and immune signals that may shape who develops Parkinson's, to the role of the gut microbiome, cognition, metabolism, and movement itself. We also previewed several new trials opening in our region, including studies in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

Speakers and topics

• Alex Lehn: The MDSANZ Clinical Trials Network: who we are, current and upcoming trials across the region
• Peter Nestor: Cognitive abilities in Parkinson's disease
• Victor Flores Ocampo: Can Parkinson's be inherited? What genetics can tell us
• Kunal Bhatt: Listening to the immune system: early clues in Parkinson's disease
• Matthew Phillips: Ketogenic metabolic therapy in Parkinson's and Huntington's
• Divya Onkar Mondhe: The microbial mystery of Parkinson's disease
• Nadeeka Dissanayaka: Improving identification of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease: the PDCogniCare program
• Graham Kerr: Connecting brain and muscles for improved balance and gait

The recording is available below for patients, families, and anyone interested in how research is moving the field forward.