Overview
I am a movement disorders specialist with a clinical practice focused on the care of people with Parkinson disease (PWP) and other movement disorders. I am interested in ways to improve the quality of care for patients with chronic neurodegenerative conditions, particularly translating clinically effective treatments and lifestyle modifications (e.g. exercise) into the “real world.” While a growing body of evidence demonstrates that physical activity, including high-intensity exercise, is feasible for PWP and leads to improved motor and non-motor outcomes, translating that knowledge into practice has been challenging. My research in this area focuses on the impact of patient/doctor communication and social determinants of health on promoting or preventing physical activity among PWP.
In addition to my clinical training, I hold a Master of Science in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University. This unique program, which grew out of the larger field of medical humanities, expands the conceptual framework of clinical medicine to incorporate patient perspective and social experience. I conduct mixed-methods research to design and implement interventions that are actually meaningful to the target population(s). As an example, in my study of Veterans with PD, I was able to conduct qualitative cluster analysis of Veterans’ self-reported barriers and motivators of adherence to exercise recommendations, reporting for the first time the unique barriers faced by this patient population. Additional funded projects using a narrative medicine approach have included (1) exploring the lexicon of burnout among clinical and non-clinical employees; (2) understanding the experience of fatigue and psychosis among PwP and their care-partners; (3) exploring the interactions between border-crossing in literature and border-crossing in medical education/practice.
In particular, narrative medicine offers guideposts toward a revitalized practice of medicine and medical education. In 2020, I was appointed Director of Medical Humanities at Duke, leading a team of clinician scholars in understanding moral injury and structural inequities in medicine. Under this umbrella, I co-direct the interprofessional course Moral Movements in Medicine; teach in the first-year Clinical Skills Immersion, the second-year Cultural Determinants of Health Disparities, and the fourth-year Medical Humanities courses; and mentor third-year students in the Medical Humanities study track.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
Neuronal α-Synuclein Disease Stage Progression over 5 Years.
Journal Article Mov Disord · April 30, 2025 BACKGROUND: Neuronal α-synuclein disease (NSD) is defined by the presence of an in vivo biomarker of neuronal alpha-synuclein (n-asyn) pathology. The NSD integrated staging system (NSD-ISS) for research describes progression across the disease continuum as ... Full text Link to item CiteFears and uncertainties of people with Parkinson's disease.
Journal Article J Parkinsons Dis · April 3, 2025 BackgroundThe patient experience of Parkinson's disease (PD) is heterogeneous, with limited prognostic tools to predict individual outcomes, leading to significant uncertainty for people with PD. Under-recognition of both psychosocial and biological driver ... Full text Link to item CiteWhat Parkinson's disease patients say in their own words about their mood and anxiety symptoms.
Journal Article Parkinsonism Relat Disord · January 2025 OBJECTIVE: To understand what Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients report in their own words about their mood and anxiety problems using the Parkinson's Disease Patient Report of Problems (PD-PROP). METHODS: Patient-reported data from the PD-PROP (reporting m ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 2 study to assess the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of FNP-223 (oral formulation) to slow the disease progression of progressive supran
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Ferrer Internacional, S.A · 2024 - 2027A Phase 2b, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Determine the Efficacy and Safety of BIIB122 in Participants with Parkinson¿s Disease
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Biogen, Inc. · 2022 - 2026Parkinson Foundation FY25-26 COE
Public ServicePrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Parkinson's Disease Foundation · 2024 - 2026View All Grants