€4 Million Investment to Transform Parkinson’s Research in Ireland

A ground breaking new initiative—PD-Life: Enhancing Wellbeing and Quality of Life in Parkinson’s Disease—has been awarded €4 million under the second call of the North-South Research Programme. Led jointly by University College Cork and Queen’s University Belfast, the project will establish the first all-island Parkinson’s disease research hub.

PD-Life will focus on improving wellbeing, resilience, and quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s. This will include research into:

• The impact of stigma and how to reduce it
• Supporting mental health
• Encouraging physical activity as part of disease management

By bringing together multidisciplinary teams across Ireland and Northern Ireland, PD-Life will unite expertise in healthcare, psychology, physiotherapy, neuroscience, and social sciences.

One of the project’s key aims is to defragment the Parkinson’s research landscape by creating a connected, collaborative network of excellence. This all-island hub will:

• Raise public awareness about Parkinson’s disease
• Inform policy and improve healthcare practice
• Support student mobility and cross-border collaboration
• Enhance Ireland’s global profile in Parkinson’s research

Long-Term Impact

With this €4 million investment, PD-Life will deliver immediate research and innovation benefits while laying the groundwork for sustainable partnerships between universities, researchers, and patient advocacy groups. Ultimately, it aims to ensure that those living with Parkinson’s in Ireland and Northern Ireland experience better care, reduced stigma, and a higher quality of life.

This funding marks a major step towards making Ireland a leading hub for Parkinson’s research and advocacy, with life-changing results for the Parkinson’s community.