Kimberly Kwei, MD, PhD
Francesca Magrinelli, MD, PhD
2023 Awardees
Kimberly Kwei, MD, PhD
Class of 2020
Columbia University New York, New York
This project addresses one of the most disabling and least understood symptoms of Parkinson’ s disease: freezing of gait, a sudden inability to move the legs and feet. By combining advanced video analysis, wearable movement sensors and brain imaging, Dr. Kwei and her team worked to define a clear, measurable“ movement signature” that sheds new light on why walking and balance problems develop and how they might be treated. The researchers also explored how signals from the brain and spinal cord interact during walking, including testing whether spinal cord stimulation can help restore movement when freezing occurs. Together, these approaches aim to enable earlier, more accurate diagnoses, expand access to expert gait assessments both in the clinic and through telemedicine, and to advance disease-modifying and potentially preventive treatments for Parkinson’ s and related disorders.
Francesca Magrinelli, MD, PhD
Class of 2023
Queen Square Institute of Neurology at University College London London, United Kingdom
During her Fellowship, Dr. Magrinelli identified a new gene, PSMF1, associated with early-onset Parkinson’ s disease. Through this award, she aimed to better understand the role of this gene in PD, expanding our knowledge of how genetic disruptions can drive neurodegeneration. Her ongoing research characterizes how variations in PSMF1 alter fundamental cellular processes— including mitochondrial function— using patient-derived cells, neuronal models and animal systems. By establishing a clear biological link between this gene and Parkinson’ s pathology, Dr. Magrinelli’ s Fellowship-supported work enabled her to secure sustained external funding to advance this discovery, and a paper about her research was recently published in Nature Communications.
Fall 2026 23