UCC to lead €4m all-island Parkinson’s research hub

A €4m All-Island research hub to transform Parkinson’s care in Ireland features two Cork-based educational institutions.

The PD-Life hub will run from run from April 2026 to April 2030 and is being funded by the North-South Research Programme.

PD-Life will bring together experts in the Parkinson’s field from across Ireland.

Led by Professor Suzanne Timmons from University College Cork and Mihalis Doumas from Queen’s University Belfast, the goal of the project is to improve the wellbeing, resilience, and quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s, through integrated and patient-centered research.

PD-Life will focus on three interconnected pillars that are priorities for the Parkinson’s community: Tackling stigma, supporting mental health, and promoting exercise and physical activity through initiatives such as dance.

The PD-Life kick-off meeting took place recently and included senior researchers from six partner institutions: University College Cork, Queen’s University Belfast, the Cork-based Tyndall National Institute, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick, and the University of Ulster.

The meeting marked the formal start of the four-year programme to establish the first dedicated, virtual centre of excellence for Parkinson’s research on the island.

Collaboration key for project

Prof Timmons said the collaboration will be key for the project to succeed.

"Parkinson’s is a complex, multi-faceted disease and it demands an equally multi-faceted research approach," she said.

"Until now, universities across Ireland have largely worked independently.

"PD-Life creates a framework for us to combine our expertise, share knowledge and avoid unnecessary duplication.

“Crucially, people living with Parkinson’s and their advocates are core partners in this hub, ensuring our research is relevant and makes a real difference to their lives.” 

Mr Doumas said that by uniting and working together, robust, all-island Parkinson’s data can be gathered.

“This evidence will be vital for informing healthcare policy, improving clinical practice, and ultimately ensuring that people with Parkinson’s receive the best possible care and support, no matter where they live," he said.

The project has already gathered support from patient advocacy groups, with Parkinson’s Ireland and Parkinson’s UK Northern Ireland represented on the project steering committee.

 Brenda O’Connell, director at Parkinson’s Ireland and living with Parkinson’s, said: “Projects like PD-Life give me an immense sense of hope for the future, as living with Parkinson’s can be a lonely experience.

"This project will further raise awareness in the public domain, which is crucial.

“We know there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease. But if a solution could be found to ease the challenging symptoms, both motor and non motor, it would have an enormous impact.

"The non‑motor symptoms are a hidden element of Parkinson’s disease, and I would like more conversations about this to help the public gain a better understanding of the mental challenges many of us deal with."