Episode 15: Why and How to Participate in Parkinson’s Research

Clinical trials – research studies that involve people – are key to medical advances. But sometimes it is hard to recruit and enroll enough participants to make the results meaningful. It is important for people with Parkinson’s disease to participate in clinical trials to help researchers find better ways to treat, and hopefully slow down or even stop, Parkinson’s. Some trials are short, lasting only a few weeks, while some can take years, but all trials aim to produce results that will lead to better lives. Christine Hunter, a nurse and Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence coordinator at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, describes the value of volunteering for clinical trials and how participants view their experiences.

Released: November 7, 2017

Ms. Hunter is the Director of Clinical Research for the Baylor College of Medicine, Parkinson’s Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic (PDCMDC) and serves as the coordinator of the Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence. As part of the PDCMDC’s leadership team, she serves as a resource to the Parkinson's community both locally and regionally. Her duties at Baylor College of Medicine include oversight of the research program, as well as serving as the primary coordinator for a number of PD-related trials.

Through educational efforts, Ms. Hunter is committed to increasing awareness of Parkinson's disease and improving care for individuals with PD and other movement disorders. She is an active member of the Movement Disorders Society and the Parkinson Study Group, for which she currently serves on the Executive Committee. She is a founding mentor of the Parkinson’s Foundation Mentoring and Networking Program for Centers of Excellence.

Ms. Hunter joined the Baylor Department of Neurology in 1995. She earned her AA degree in Nursing from Houston Community College and her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Texas, Arlington.

About Christine Hunter, RN

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