Cure Parkinson’s and Van Andel Institute announce Professor Matthew Farrer as winner of the 2025 Tom Isaacs Award

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Sept. 15, 2025) — The annual Tom Isaacs Award, jointly presented by Cure Parkinson’s and Van Andel Institute (VAI), honors researchers who closely collaborate with the Parkinson’s community. The award is presented in recognition of Cure Parkinson’s co-founder Tom Isaacs’ vision that a cure for Parkinson’s will be found, and greater value is gained from working with people with Parkinson’s in this quest.

The two organizations were delighted to announce Matthew Farrer, Ph.D., as winner of the 2025 Tom Isaacs Award. Cure Parkinson’s CEO Helen Matthews presented the award to Farrer at the annual Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease symposium and parallel Rallying to the Challenge meeting for people with Parkinson’s, held Sept. 9–10 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“I feel very humbled to receive the Tom Isaacs Award. None of this would be possible without people with Parkinson’s and their families, who are at the heart of every discovery. From identifying genes like alpha-synuclein, LRRK2, PINK1 and PARKIN to uncovering the roles of mitochondria and lysosomes, the biggest breakthroughs have come from studying families affected by Parkinson’s. Their genealogy and personal medical perspectives have given us cause-and-effect insights that guide the future of research, and we need more focus and funding in this area to truly make a difference. Their knowledge of Parkinson’s is second to none, and it’s humbling to learn from them,” Farrer said.

Farrer is a professor of neurology at University of Florida, where he specializes in molecular neuroscience and neurogenetics. Farrer’s work in the genetics and neuroscience of Parkinson’s is critically acclaimed and focuses on uniting people with Parkinson’s and researchers for their mutual benefit.

“We are delighted to present the 2025 Tom Isaacs Award to Matt. Through his work, he truly understands the importance and value of working with people with Parkinson’s and how insights from the lived experience of Parkinson’s can drive research. We hope this award will help celebrate Matt’s passion and commitment to the Parkinson’s community,” said Matthews.

Image caption: Cure Parkinson’s CEO Helen Matthews presents the 2025 Tom Isaacs Award to Dr. Matthew Farrer.