Baylor’s Parkinson’s Center selected for the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders

The Parkinson’s Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic in the Department of Neurology at Baylor College of Medicine has been chosen by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research as one of five academic centers to receive the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders to support training of new clinician-researchers.

A partnership of the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Edmond J. Safra Foundation, the Fellowship provides resources for neurologists to obtain additional training in diagnosing and treating Parkinson’s and other movement disorders. This focus on training is growing a global base of talented, dedicated specialists who can deliver high-quality care and contribute to research across the movement disorder field.

An advisory committee selected the five centers based on several criteria, including the depth and breadth of clinical education and the range of potential research opportunities. In addition to Baylor, the awardees are Toronto Western Hospital in Ontario, Canada; University of Alabama at Birmingham; UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology in London, England; and University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla.

“We are honored to have been selected by the Michael J. Fox Foundation to train the next generation of movement disorder clinician-researchers,” said Dr. Joseph Jankovic, professor of neurology, Distinguished Chair in Movement Disorders and director of the Parkinson’s Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic at Baylor. “These experts will stand at the forefront and intersection of patient care and research and be uniquely positioned to drive the field forward.”

Dr. Chintan Shah, currently a neurology resident at Baylor College of Medicine, has been selected as the first recipient of the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders at Baylor. He will begin his training in July 2020.

“Increasing the number of movement disorder specialists who can care for patients and lead research studies benefits not only individual patients and families, but also the entire Parkinson’s community,” said Lily Safra, chairwoman of the Edmond J. Safra Foundation. “The growth and success of the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders is a testament to the ongoing and rising need for Parkinson’s specialists around the world.”