Sparking New Discoveries for Parkinson’s Disease
The Collaborative Research Network (CRN) is a first-of-its-kind global community of multidisciplinary and multi-institutional teams working together to spark new discoveries in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research. The CRN is a program of the Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative, managed by the Coalition for Aligning Science and implemented by the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Our Research Network
The ASAP CRN supports 35 research teams across 14 countries, focusing on critical areas such as functional genomics in Parkinson’s disease, neuro-immune interactions, circuitry and brain-body interactions. With collaboration at its core, the CRN brings together hundreds of investigators to share expertise, findings, and tools in an effort to tackle challenges in the PD space. As a community, we promote standards for openness, real-world utility, and collective impact across scientific research.
An ASAP Program
An ASAP Program
The Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative launched the CRN in 2020 to catalyze breakthroughs in PD research. ASAP fosters connections across the scientific community by supporting a variety of programs designed to enhance collaboration and promote sharing of scientific findings, tools, and technologies.
Impact
From the beginning, the CRN has been committed to providing resources, addressing research bottlenecks, and fostering innovation to build a thriving research ecosystem that advances Parkinson’s disease research.
Impact
From the beginning, the CRN has been committed to providing resources, addressing research bottlenecks, and fostering innovation to build a thriving research ecosystem that advances Parkinson’s disease research.
Latest CRN Highlights
Members of the CRN work diligently to advance our understanding of Parkinson’s disease. Learn more about recent CRN discoveries and achievements.
Nanoplastics could promote Parkinson’s disease
Read about how Team Liddle recently found that nanoplastics are an emerging environmental risk factor for neurological diseases.
2025: A Year in Review
We are proud to share how Aligning Science Across Parkinson's impacted the Parkinson’s disease research field in 2025. Read about how the infrastructure and processes we established are changing the way science is done and are generating significant momentum.
San Diego Supercomputer Zeros In on Parkinson’s Motor ‘Off Switch’
Read how Team Wichmann used the Expanse supercomputer at the San Diego Supercomputer Center to conduct a brain simulation study that suggests that a single type of cortical cell may be the primary cause of the beta-frequency brain waves that afflict people with Parkinson's disease.