Every month, Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach produces a list of Parkinson’s-related webinars and virtual meetings with speakers. Here’s our January 2025 list.
What’s the difference between a webinar and a virtual meeting? A “webinar” has a handful of speakers at most, and attendees have both audio and video muted. A “virtual meeting” usually allows attendees to be seen and heard.
We recommend you register NOW for anything of interest. That way, if there’s a recording, as a registrant you’ll receive an email alerting you to the recording availability. Also, note that a few webinars have registration deadlines well in advance of the webinar dates.
Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach will try to attend as many of these events as possible and share our notes. Our notes about PD webinars are often posted to our blog. We email our notes to the “Stanford PD Info” and “PD Caregivers” email lists, depending on the relevance to those audiences.
Unless indicated, the webinar and virtual meetings listed below are:
- Times listed as PT. (We are based in California, after all.)
- One-hour in duration. We suggest you join five minutes before the official start time. (Usually, the speaker talks for 30-40 minutes and there’s a question-and-answer session for the remaining time.)
- For a general audience. (Again, caregiver-specific events are on our other list.)
- Not focused on a single medication or single, branded treatment. (Those are excluded.)
- Free
After that long preamble, here’s our list of PD-related webinars and virtual meetings in January 2025.
Sundays, January 5, 12, 19, 26, 1-2:30pm
Close Contact for Couples [with PD]
Description: This course teaches couples to collaborate on the movements of everyday life including better communication and new ways to trust and touch. Participants will explore the activities of daily living and experiment with different ways of assisting one another from bed to chair, chair to floor and down the street, making movement and collaboration easier and safer for both of you. This is a four-part series. (Plan to attend all sessions.)
Speaker: Judith Sachs
Host: Michigan Parkinson’s
We have no information about recording this event.
Thursday, January 8, 10am
The Many Forms of Carbidopa/Levodopa
Description: The focus is the many forms of carbidopa/levodopa, including two new options recently approved by the FDA. Learn how doctors decide which formulation is best for you, when you should ask your doctor for a change in medication, what distinguishes the newest type of extended release capsules of carbidopa/levodopa from older versions, what subcutaneous levodopa is, and when the subcutaneous option is a good choice for you. Part of the Dr. Gilbert Hosts webinar series.
Moderator: Rebecca Gilbert, MD, PhD, APDA Chief Mission Officer
Speaker: Eleni Okeanis Vaou, MD, movement disorder specialist, UT Health San Antonio
Host: American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA)
The webinar recording will be posted to the APDA YouTube channel in the Dr. Gilbert Hosts playlist.
Wednesday, January 8, 10am
Understanding Deep Brain Stimulation and MRI Guided Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)
Description: Learn about DBS as a treatment option for Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor (ET), and dystonia, and HIFU as a treatment for ET.
Speaker: Katherine Baich-Colon, RN, BSN, Hartford neurosurgery nurse navigator
Host: Hartford Healthcare, Bridgeport, CT
This webinar is offered monthly and is not recorded.
Wednesday, January 8, 12pm
Dance for Parkinson’s Disease
Description: The speaker will guide attendees through the research backed benefits of dance and teach a few dance moves.
Speaker: David Leventhal, founder, Dance for Parkinson’s Disease
Host: Brian Grant Foundation (BGF)
The webinar recording will be posted to the BGF YouTube channel
Thursday, January 9, 9am
Rescue DBS and Maximizing your DBS Results
Description: The speaker will discuss his approach to fine tuning and maximizing DBS results and what factors might lead someone to consider a second surgery.
Speaker: Casey Halpern, MD, neurosurgeon, Penn Medicine
Host: PMD Alliance
The webinar recording may be posted to the PMD Alliance YouTube channel
Saturday, January 11, 10:30am-12:30pm
Gene Therapies for Parkinson’s Disease
Description: The speakers will provide a brief background on gene therapy as well as its history and evolution for patients with PD. They will describe ongoing clinical trials, and what the future may hold for gene therapies for PD and other devastating brain diseases.
Speakers:
Nisha Chhabria, MD, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio)
Amber Van Laar, MD, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio)
Host: PD Active, Berkeley, CA
The webinar recording will be posted to the PD Active YouTube channel in the Webinars/Forums playlist
Monday, January 13, 11:30am
Preventing Parkinson’s Disease
Description: The speaker will share his main research takeaways from 2024 and the research results he will be looking for in 2025.
Speaker: Simon Stott, PhD, researcher, Cure Parkinson’s
Host: No Silver Bullet 4 PD, United Kingdom
A webinar recording may be posted to the No Silver Bullet 4 PD YouTube channel
Tuesday, January 14, 4pm
Speak Out! Parkinson’s Voice Project
Description: Learn about Parkinson’s Voice Project, which helps people with Parkinson’s and related neurological disorders regain and retain their speech and swallowing. Patients are empowered to “speak with INTENT,” transitioning speech from an automatic function to an intentional act.
Speaker: Hilary Byatt, MS, SLP, COO, Parkinson’s Voice Project
Host: Young Onset Parkinson’s Network (YOPN)
The webinar recording will be posted to the YOPN website
Wednesday, January 15, 10am
Empowerment Through Movement [for PD]
Description: The speaker will explore the ways that exercise can improve mobility, balance, and mood, and why it’s essential for symptom management. Part of the Wellness Wednesday webinar series.
Speaker: Ryan Duncan, PT, physical therapist, Washington University, St. Louis
Hosts: Parkinson’s Foundation (PF) and Bluegrass Parkinson’s Alliance
The webinar recording may be posted to the Wellness Wednesday playlist of the PF YouTube channel
Wednesday, January 15, 11am
Parkinson’s Psychosis: Hallucinations & Delusions
Description: A geriatrician will dicuss the causes, triggers, and management strategies for hallucinations and delusions, communication approaches for addressing these symptoms with your care team, and the mental health impacts on individuals with Parkinson’s and their care partners, including challenges like social withdrawal or delayed medical care. Attendees will also hear from a woman caring for two parents with Parkinson’s, her mother has had episodes of delusions, and she will share some coping strategies.
Speakers:
Alison Dixon, MD, Dalhousie University
Nini Huang, Parkinson’s caregiver
Hosts: Parkinson Canada
The webinar recording may be posted to the Parkinson Canada YouTube channel
Wednesday, January 15, 4pm
Management of Parkinson’s Disease in the Hospital
No description available. Part of the Virtual Education webinar series.
Speaker: Tina Reuben, PT
Hosts: Michigan Parkinson’s Foundation (MPF)
The webinar recording will be posted to the Virtual Education Series playlist of the MPF YouTube channel
Thursday, January 16, 9am
Managing the Hidden Symptoms: Mood and Motivation Changes in Parkinson’s
Description: An expert panel will discuss how mood changes can impact life with the disease, tips and treatments to manage them, and the latest research on these non-motor symptoms. Part of the Third Thursday webinar series.
Multiple speakers
Host: Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF)
The webinar recording is available on the MJFF YouTube channel
Monday, January 20, 1pm
Nutrition and Parkinson’s Disease: Enhancing Well-Being through Diet
Description: The speaker will delve into how food choices impact the body’s detoxification system, a key process in the progression of PD, as well as the role of essential organs, such as the gut and liver, in maintaining health, and how disruptions in the gut microbiome may contribute to the development and progression of Parkinson’s. She will also explore food choices that may promote a healthier gut environment and optimize liver function to help slow the progression of PD.
Speaker: Tracy Lister, RD, DCN, registered dietician, Seattle, WA
Host: Parkinson Society British Columbia (PSBC)
The webinar recording may be posted to the PSBC YouTube channel
Tuesday, January 21 and 28, 1-2:30pm
Personal Care Series for People with PD & Care Partners
Description: An occupational therapist will give instruction and ideas regarding strategies and equipment to assist the person with PD with bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility, and cooking/feeding. This is a two-part series. (You must attend both sessions.)
Speaker: Mindy Laidlaw, OT, St. Charles Medical Center, Bend, OR
Host: Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon (PRO)
Registration webpage (maximum 20 participants)
To encourage participation, this webinar will not be recorded.
Wednesday, January 22, 9am
Benefits of Speech Vive [for PD]
Description: SpeechVive is a wearable speech device allowing you to speak louder and more clearly, every time you talk. The speaker will explain how to use this new device.
Speaker: Mary Spremulli, SLP
Host: Neuro Challenge, Sarasota, FL
The webinar recording will be posted to the Neuro Challenge YouTube channel
Thursday, January 23, 11am
Practical Tips to Maintain Independence and Make Life Easier (Part III)
Description: The speaker will cover practical tips for leisure and recreation including exercise, car arrangement, travel, socialization, and adaptations for hobbies such as gardening and painting. Part three of the four-part Moving Forward webinar series.
Speaker: Mary Grace Lagasca, OT, occupational therapist
Host: Parkinson’s Community Los Angeles (PCLA)
The webinar recording will be posted to the PCLA YouTube channel
Miércoles, 24 de enero, 10am
El Parkinson y los tratamientos: ¿Qué hay de nuevo?
Descripción: Este programa explorará los últimos hallazgos en la investigación de la EP y tratamientos innovadores. Parte de la serie de seminarios web del Miércoles de Bienestar.
Presentadora: Veronica Bruno, MD, MPH, University of Calgary
Anfitriona: Parkinson’s Foundation (PF)
La grabación del seminario web se publicará en la lista de reproducción del Miércoles de Bienestar en el canal de YouTube de PF
Monday, January 27, 2:30pm
Women Veterans with PD
Audience: Women with PD
Description: A movement disorders specialist will talk about the differences women face with Parkinson’s disease. Non-Veteran women are welcome to attend and participate; however, some of the
information provided may be more beneficial to U.S. women Veterans.
Speaker: Adrienne Keener, MD, UCLA and West LA PADRECC
Host: Virginia PADRECC
No need to register. At the time of the event join with this link.
We have no information about recording this event.
Tuesday, January 28, 5pm
Diagnostic Improvements, Prevention, and Early Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease
Description: The speakers will discuss advancements in diagnostic tools, the current theories behind the prevention of PD, slowing of PD progression, and current research studies testing these theories, as well as when to start treatment, the various early treatment options available and some of the considerations when choosing an initial treatment strategy, and pointers to getting the best response from these treatments. Part one of the five-part Advances In Parkinson’s Disease webinar series.
Speakers:
Rajesh Pahwa, MD, University of Kansas Medical Center
Stuart Isaacson, MD, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, Boca Raton Boca Raton, FL
Daniel Kremens, MD, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
Host: University of Kansas Medical Center
We have no information about recording this event.
Tuesday, January 28, 4pm
Anger, Irritability and Other Mood Changes [in PD]
Audience: PD Caregivers Only
Description: Attendees will discuss among themselves mood changes due to Parkinson’s Disease, share strategies to cope, and more. The genesis for this discussion came out of a Davis Phinney Foundation (DPF) Living with Parkinson’s discussion from August 2024.
Host: Parkinson’s Social Network
We have no information about recording this event.
Wednesday, January 29, 8am
The Power of Food: Supporting Parkinson’s Wellness Through Nutrition
No description available
Speaker: Joyce Verdejo, RD, Sarasota Memorial Healthcare
Host: Neuro Challenge, Sarasota, FL
The webinar recording will be posted to the Neuro Challenge YouTube channel
Wednesday, January 29, 9am
Advancing Parkinson’s Trial Designs
Description: A panel of experts will discuss how multi-arm, multi-stage (MAMS) clinical trial platforms can be used to accelerate the development and progression of potential therapies for Parkinson’s, including the background and rationale for using MAMS platforms, learnings from MAMS platforms in Parkinson’s and other conditions, and the ongoing initiatives for Parkinson’s in the UK and abroad.
Moderator: Professor Tilo Kunath, PhD, University of Edinburgh
Hosts: University of Edinburgh and Journal of Parkinson’s Disease
The webinar recording may be posted to the Cure Parkinson’s YouTube channel.
Wednesday, January 29, 10am
A Deep Dive into Deep Brain Stimulation
Description: The speaker will provide an in-depth look at what DBS involves, how it works, and who may benefit from the procedure. Participants will also hear from individuals who have undergone DBS who will share their experience of the preparation, procedure, and outcomes. Part of the Wellness Wednesday webinar series.
Speaker: Xenos Mason, MD, movement disorders specialist, USC Keck School of Medicine
Host: Parkinson’s Foundation (PF)
The webinar recording may be posted to the Wellness Wednesday playlist of the PF YouTube channel
Wednesday, January 29, 10am
Focused Ultrasound for PD & ET
Description: Learn how focused ultrasound technology is used to treat Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) and hear testimony from a focused ultrasound patient with PD who will share his treatment experience.
Speakers:
Tim Meakem, Focused Ultrasound Foundation
Bobby Krause, person with YOPD, founder of Be Still Foundation
Host: PMD Alliance
The webinar recording may be posted to the PMD Alliance YouTube channel
Thursday, January 30, 11am
Meet the Expert: Feeling Off Balance?
Description: A physical therapist will teach strengthening exercises that will help you reduce PD symptoms and better maintain your balance.
Speaker: Nate Coomer, PT, Parkinson’s Fitness Project
Host: Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation (NPF)
The webinar recording may be posted to the NPF YouTube channel
Friday, January 31, 8-11am
Learn More. Live Better. Parkinson’s Symposium
Description: Expert speakers will provide information to help you find the balance between a proactive approach to living with PD and wondering what lies ahead.
Speakers:
Carolina Parker, MD, UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Brandi Mason Ivey, MEd, Huntsville Hospital Parkinson’s Care Clinic
Jay Arthur van Gerpen, MD, Neurology Consultants of Huntsville
Erin Edmundson, PT, Huntsville Hospital Parkinson’s Care Clinic
Host: Parkinson’s Foundation (PF)
We have no information about recording this event.
Friday, January 31, 11am
Psilocybin Therapy for Depression in PD
Description: The speaker will discuss how oral psilocybin can be used for depression and anxiety, and motor symptoms, in people with Parkinson’s.
Speaker: Ellen Bradley, MD, UCSF Weill Institute For Neurosciences
Host: Parkinson’s Community Los Angeles (PCLA)
The webinar recording will be posted to the PCLA YouTube channel