Kick off 2026 with a new AD/PD™ Research Spotlight Session highlighting emerging evidence from early-phase clinical trials investigating stem cell–derived dopaminergic neuron transplantation for Parkinson’s disease.
Guided by Dr. Roger A. Barker, leading experts, Dr. Claire Henchcliffe and Dr Fasano Alfonso, will discuss the scientific rationale for restoring the nigrostriatal pathway, review key findings from ongoing and completed studies, and address the methodological and translational challenges of regenerative medicine.
Date: 29 January 2026 
Time: 16:00 CET
Join us to get a fresh perspective on how cell based therapies may influence the future management of Parkinson’s disease.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Explain the rationale for targeting the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway using regenerative therapies.
- Summarize current data from clinical trials involving dopamine cell–based interventions.
- Describe early-phase clinical trial approaches for stem cell–derived transplant therapies in Parkinson’s disease.
- Recognize challenges in clinical trial design, interpretation, and future research directions.
Speakers
Claire Henchcliffe
Professor and Stanley van den Noort Chair of Neurology·University of California, Irvine
Claire Henchcliffe MD DPhil is the Stanley van den Noort Chair and Professor of Neurology, University of California, Irvine. Previously, she served as Professor of Neurology/Vice Chair for Clinical Research at Weill Cornell Medical College/New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York. Following undergraduate and graduate training at the University of Oxford and University of California at Berkeley, she completed neurology residency and movement disorder fellowship at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University in New York. With a clinical focus on movement disorders, her research centers on developing clinical trials for new Parkinson’s disease therapeutics, including stem cell-based interventions.
Alfonso Fasano
Chair in Neuromodulation, Professor of Neurology, Clinician Investigator, Staff Neurologist·University Health Network, University of Toronto, Krembil Brain Institute, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
Dr. Alfonso Fasano holds the Chair in Neuromodulation at the University of Toronto and University Health Network. He is a Professor in the Department of Medicine (Division of Neurology) at the University of Toronto. He is staff neurologist and co-director of the Surgical Program for Movement Disorders at Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network. Dr. Fasano is a Clinician Investigator at the Krembil Research Institute and KITE – Toronto Rehabilitation Hospital. Dr. Fasano is also Professor of Neurology in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University (Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy). Dr. Fasano received his medical degree from the Catholic University of Rome, Italy, in 2002 and became a neurologist in 2007. After a 2-year fellowship at the University of Kiel, Germany, he completed a PhD in neuroscience at the Catholic University of Rome. His main areas of interest are the treatment of movement disorders with advanced technology (infusion pumps and neuromodulation), pathophysiology, and treatment of tremor and gait disorders.
Moderator
Dr. Roger A. Barker
Professor of Clinical Neuroscience and Honorary Consultant Neurologist
Roger Barker is the Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge and Consultant Neurologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. He runs the regional NHS Huntington’s Disease (HD) as well as clinics in Parkinson’s Disease (PD). His research investigates the heterogeneity of these disorders and its basis which has informed work he has done on trialling new experimental therapeutics for these conditions including cell and gene therapies as well as drug repurposing. He is lead academic scientist of the ARUK funded Drug Discovery Institute in Cambridge as well as the John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair and Chair of Neurodegeneration at LifeArc. He is Co-editor in chief of the Journal of Neurology.