Parkinson's UK research conference - news on day 1

Today, we welcomed 195 researchers from around the UK to share ideas, discuss challenges and work together towards a cure for Parkinson's.

Our first keynote speaker, Dr Deniz Kirik from Lund University in Sweden. Deniz discussed our progress towards a new generation of treatments that aim to slow the development of Parkinson's and repair the brain.

He said that Parkinson's research is really leading the way in gene therapy and cell transplants. And there are currently several trials underway of gene therapies for Parkinson's that are looking promising.

Next we heard from a string of Parkinson's UK-funded researchers:

• Neil Archibald discussed his research into the hidden eye problems that can affect people with Parkinson's
• Maya Sieber-Blum presented her exciting research on finding stem cells in human hair follicles
• and Adrian Williams described the positive results from Parkinson's UK-funded deep brain stimulation study

After lunch we heard from our second keynote speaker Dr Valerie Voon from the University of Cambridge.

Valerie said that compulsive behaviours affect up to 13% of people with Parkinson's, and these problems may stem from changes in dopamine release inside the brain.

Our Director of Research, Dr Kieran Breen, was interviewed by BBC Radio York, and we'll report on that tomorrow. It's been an exciting and stimulating first day.