Our speakers, guests, panelists and facilitators

Sally Bromley is Chair of Parkinson's UK Oxford Branch. Diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2008, she has since been active in participation and fundraising for Parkinson's research. Sally co-wrote the First Steps programme, which has helped many come to terms with their diagnosis. She contributed to the book Shaken but not Stirred, a compilation of amusing things that happen to Parkies.
Dr Patrick Lewis has been working on neurodegenerative diseases for over fifteen years, first at the Mayo Clinic in Florida where he worked on the molecular basis of Alzheimer's disease. He then carried out graduate studies at the Medical Research Council Prion Unit at the UCL Institute of Neurology in London, completing a PhD on the molecular characteristics of the Scrapie agent in 2005. Patrick started working on Parkinson's disease at the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda (just outside Washington DC) in the Laboratory of Neurogenetics under Mark Cookson. It was in Bethesda that he first came across Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2, LRRK2, a protein which he has been investigating ever since. In 2007 he returned to the UCL Institute of Neurology and the Department of Molecular Neuroscience, and then set up his own group at the University of Reading in 2013. His research continues to explore how mutations can cause Parkinson's disease, and is funded by the MRC, BBSRC and NIH.
Professor Chrystalina Antoniades is an Associate Professor at the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford and a lecturer in medicine at Brasenose College. After finishing her PhD at the University of Cambridge, Professor Antoniades moved to Oxford to take up a position with Professor Christopher Kennard. She has recently set up her own research group, the NeuroMetrology Lab. She researches Parkinson's disease and uses a variety of quantitative experimental methods in research clinics, based on precise measurement of subtle abnormalities of the speed and coordination of various movements such as saccades (fast eye movements), motor control such as finger movements, and various aspects of gait control.
Dr Arthur Roach is Director of Research at Parkinson's UK, where he is responsible for the strategy to convert the demands and priorities of people living with Parkinson's into better treatments and a deeper understanding of the condition. He brings to this role over 25 years of experience of research into neurodegenerative diseases and the discovery and development of new treatments, conducted in leading universities and drug companies in both North America and Europe. Arthur is also the founder of Chord Therapeutics, President of the Geneva Pharma Network, a regional association for pharma, biotech and medical device professionals, and a director of Keapstone Therapeutics Ltd.
Dr Richard Wyse is Director of Research and Development at The Cure Parkinson's Trust.
Prof. Richard Wade-Martins is Professor of Molecular Neuroscience at Oxford University, where he directs the Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre and the Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration. Richard has worked on molecular mechanisms of disease for 20 years during a DPhil at Oxford, then at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, returning to Oxford to set up his own group in 2004. His laboratory focusses on the molecular mechanisms of key genes involved in Parkinson's, working on biological models of neurodegeneration including patient stem cell-derived neurons to study the molecular mechanisms of disease and to discover new drug targets.
Originally trained as a biochemist, Dr Kevin McFarthing led R&D groups in life sciences with Amersham, diagnostics with Serono, and pharmaceuticals and consumer products with Reckitt Benckiser. He now runs a consultancy business specialising in innovation management, and was voted the #1 blogger on innovation in 2015. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2012.
Prof. Helen Dawes leads the Movement Science Group at Oxford Brookes University, where she is Elizabeth Casson Trust Chair.
Sophie Gwilym is a neurological physiotherapist and founder of Oxfordshire Neurophysiotherapy. She specialises in therapy for Parkinson's and other neurological conditions.
Sarah Wheatley is an exercise teacher with over 25 years' experience in both clinical and community settings. She currently works for Age UK Oxfordshire in the Generation Games team, which provides and develops exercise opportunities for older people across Oxfordshire. She has a particular interest in evidence based exercise and putting research into practice. She managed one of the first Falls exercise services for the NHS in south west London and is now enjoying developing the Big Bold and Balance exercise classes in Oxfordshire for people with Parkinson's.
Alex Reed is President and founder of the European Parkinson Therapy Centre, a leading innovative, international Centre for early stage Parkinson's. The book he compiled and helped to write has been a best seller on Amazon. He is also director of a number of other companies but remains committed to changing the way People with Parkinson's are treated and supported throughout Europe. He was co-founder of the First Steps program and the Italian program Punto Parkinson for newly diagnosed.
Emma Lawton is a designer and author of “Dropping the P Bomb.”
Semi-retired research physicist Dr Jim Sheridan was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2010. He was the Research Advisor for the Parkinson's UK Oxford Branch in 2015 and 2016 and continues to be a lay reviewer of Parkinson's UK research proposals. He has taken part in numerous research and clinical trials, and appeared on BBC South in November 2016 to promote research at Oxford University Hospitals by example of the OxQUIP trial. His personal work has been on patient-led management and monitoring of Parkinson's.
Dr Michele Hu is Associate Professor at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford and Honorary Consultant Neurologist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. She is the co-Principal Investigator, with Dr Richard Wade-Martins, of the Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre and leads the Clinical Theme of this £10.7 million Monument Discovery 10 year award. With recruitment currently at 1500 subjects from a Thames Valley population base, her academic funding facilitates translational research in the field of longitudinal cohort studies and biomarkers for early motor and premotor Parkinson's. She is also NIHR Parkinson's Thames Valley Research Director, a member of the Parkinson's Clinical Study/Portfolio Management Groups, and chairs the research engagement subcommittee of the newly formed UK Parkinson's Excellence Network.
John Foster is a children's poet. He has written and spoken extensively about Parkinson's and the Deep Brain Stimulation treatment he received for it.
Jo Bromley has worked as a Community Neurology Nurse Specialist for six years, and is Team Lead for the Oxfordshire Community Neurology Specialist Nurse Service that she set up at the end of 2011. Prior to this she was Ward Manager on the Neurosciences Ward at the John Radcliffe Hospital. She has worked in Neurology and Neurosurgery since qualifying (many years ago!). As well as managing the Service and its dedicated team of 7 staff members, she finds the most rewarding part of her job to be her clinical work, supporting people living with Parkinson's disease and their families and carers.
Paul Mayhew-Archer is a comedy writer, producer and script editor whose credits include I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, Spitting Image, The Vicar of Dibley, Mrs Brown's Boys, and Roald Dahl's Esio Trot which starred Dustin Hoffman and Judi Dench.
Paul was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2011 and now uses it as material for comedy. Last year he made an award-winning BBC documentary Parkinson's: The Funny Side, he is currently writing a 90 minute rom-com about Parkinson's and ballet, and he is about to make his standup debut at the Comedy Store in London.