A new study on Parkinson's disease at the University of Windsor is expected to start May 1st after a $100,000 donation.
The money comes from Joseph and Magdalena Szecsei and the Szecsei Parkinson and Neurodegenerative Disease Research Fund.
Dr. Siyaram Pandey is a professor of biochemistry at the university and one of the leads on the project. He says the study will research natural extracts used in traditional medicine to treat degenerative brain conditions like Parkinson's and dementia. "We'll have the assessment of these natural extracts — namely the two herbs — to see if in our model they show the same neural protective effect."
Pandey says the donation came at the perfect time as they had a study in mind. "At this time we didn't have any funding to start with, we were preparing the fund applications and all that — but this generosity will go a long way and it was extremely delightful and very much helping."
The research is expected to last two years.
Joseph Szecsei lives with advanced Parkinson's himself and has donated $50,000 previously to the University of Windsor for research projects.
Szecsei is founder of Titan Tool and Die and has called living with Parkinson's "one of the greatest challenges" of his life.