GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (April 14, 2025) — Van Andel Institute has named renowned physician-scientist J. Timothy Greenamyre, M.D., Ph.D., as recipient of its 2025 Jay Van Andel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Parkinson’s Disease Research.
The award will be presented during Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease, VAI’s flagship annual Parkinson’s disease symposium, Sept. 9–10, 2025.
Greenamyre’s pioneering research into the interactions between genes and the environment has vastly improved our understanding of Parkinson’s development and progression. He has published more than 200 articles detailing new insights into the disease, including evidence linking exposure to certain pesticides to increased Parkinson’s risk. His work also has shed critical light onto the roles of mitochondria and the gene LRRK2 in the disease.
“Dr. Greenamyre is a trailblazer in Parkinson’s research. He embodies the very best of the scientific and clinical worlds,” said Darren Moore, Ph.D., chair of VAI’s Department of Neurodegenerative Science and co-chair of the 2025 symposium. “We look forward to recognizing and celebrating his exemplary achievements with the 2025 Jay Van Andel Award.”
Greenamyre joined the University of Pittsburgh in 2005 as the inaugural director of the Pittsburgh Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases (PIND) and to establish the university’s Movement Disorders Division. Over the past two decades, Greenamyre has grown PIND and the division into powerhouses of collaborative, interdisciplinary research and innovation in neurodegenerative diseases. He also serves as the Love Family Professor of Neurology and director of the American Parkinson Disease Association Advanced Center for Parkinson’s Research at University of Pittsburgh.
Greenamyre has received numerous awards and accolades for his scholarship and contributions, including the 2007 Langston Award and the 2022 Robert A. Pritzker Award for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. He was elected to the Association of American Physicians in 2015 and has been included on the “Best Doctors in America” list since the mid-1990s.
The Jay Van Andel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Parkinson’s Disease Research was established in 2012 in memory of VAI Founder Jay Van Andel, who battled Parkinson’s disease for a decade before his death in 2004. The annual award is given to scientists who have made exceptional contributions to Parkinson’s disease research and who have positively impacted human health.
As part of the award, Greenamyre will deliver the keynote lecture on the first day of Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease.
The annual Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease symposium and Rallying to the Challenge meeting, a parallel event for people with Parkinson’s hosted in partnership with Cure Parkinson’s, brings together scientists, medical professionals, and Parkinson’s advocates from across the globe to explore the latest breakthroughs in Parkinson’s research and treatment. The 2025 symposium will highlight the role of the endolysosomal pathway in the disease.
In addition to the Jay Van Andel Award lecture, the events will feature scientific talks by 20 speakers, a research poster session and advocacy discussions.
Registration for the 2025 Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease symposium and Rallying to the Challenge meeting is open and may be completed at grandchallengesinpd.org.
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ABOUT VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE
Van Andel Institute (VAI) is committed to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations through cutting-edge biomedical research and innovative educational offerings. Established in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1996 by the Van Andel family, VAI is now home to more than 500 scientists, educators and support staff, who work with a growing number of national and international collaborators to foster discovery. The Institute’s scientists study the origins of cancer, Parkinson’s and other diseases and translate their findings into breakthrough prevention and treatment strategies. Our educators develop inquiry-based approaches for K–12 education to help students and teachers prepare the next generation of problem-solvers, while our Graduate School offers a rigorous, research-intensive Ph.D. program in molecular and cellular biology. Learn more at vai.org.