Two renowned Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders physician–researchers have been appointed co-executive directors of the Marlene and Paolo Fresco Institute for Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders at Ƶ Health.
Steven J. Frucht, MD, and , will lead the Fresco Institute at Ƶ, a multidisciplinary, National Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence that provides individualized care for people with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.
Dr. Frucht, who joined Ƶ in August as professor of neurology, also has been appointed director of the Division of Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders and associate chair of neurology, faculty group practices. Dr. Feigin, who joined October 1, also will serve as professor of neurology and associate chair of neurology for Ƶ’s Network and Clinical Research.
“Having two movement disorders experts of Dr. Frucht’s and Dr. Feigin’s prominence is a tremendous benefit for our patients at the Fresco Institute, and for our health system’s overall research and education efforts,” says Steven Galetta, MD, the Philip K. Moskowitz, MD, Professor and Chair of Neurology. “They have already demonstrated how to move their award-winning research into the clinical setting. We are thrilled these efforts will continue and flourish at Ƶ.”
About the Co-Directors
Dr. Frucht joins Ƶ from the Mount Sinai Health System, where he held the position of professor of neurology and director of the Movement Disorders Division. Prior to that, he was a member of the faculty at Columbia University for more than 10 years. An alumnus of Harvard Medical School, he completed his residency in neurology at the New York Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center and a fellowship in movement disorders at Columbia University.
Dr. Frucht’s clinical practice is devoted to people who have Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, myoclonus, tremor, tics, chorea, and a variety of less common movement disorders, with a particular interest in working with patients who have focal dystonia. With colleagues, he helped develop a novel treatment for people who have vocal tremor, spasmodic dysphonia, and myoclonus dystonia, and has improved the use of botulinum toxin injections for musicians’ dystonia and other task-specific movement disorders.
A prolific researcher, Dr. Frucht has published more than 150 peer-reviewed articles and has edited 2 books, co-authored 26 book chapters, and presented more than 100 abstracts and national and international scientific meetings. Additionally, Dr. Frucht has served as the editor-in-chief for the Journal of Clinical Movement Disorders since 2014, and as an ad hoc reviewer for numerous other major peer-reviewed medical journals. He serves as a member of the International Movement Disorders Society’s Scientific Program Committee.
“Parkinson’s and other movement disorders require a full team treatment approach that does not stop in the clinic, but extends into the community, and I am honored to co-direct an institute with such robust programs and resources available to help New Yorkers,” says Dr. Frucht. “Our most important mission is to ensure that each person we see at the Fresco Institute receives compassionate, individualized, and expert care.”
Dr. Feigin joins Ƶ from Northwell Health, where he was director of the Experimental Therapeutics Division at the Center for Neuroscience at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, and professor of molecular medicine and neurology at Hofstra University School of Medicine. He returns to the Department of Neurology at Ƶ Health, where he served as a faculty member from 1995 through 2009, while maintaining hospital appointments at North Shore University Hospital. He received his medical degree from Columbia University where he also completed an internship, before completing his residency in neurology and fellowship in movement disorders at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Dr. Feigin’s primary research interests include utilizing neuroimaging methods to assess the effects of therapies for movement disorders with the ultimate goal of developing improved therapeutic modalities for patients. He has served as an investigator on more than 30 clinical trials of new therapies for Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease, and is currently leading a large multicenter clinical trial for Huntington’s disease. Dr. Feigin is the author of more than 90 peer-reviewed publications and more than 60 abstracts presented at medical meetings. He has also authored or co-authored more than 20 reviews, books, and book chapters.
Dr. Feigin has a special research interest in Huntington’s disease and is chair of the Clinical Research Advisory Committee for the Huntington Study Group. He also holds memberships in the American Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, and Movement Disorders Society, and has served on the editorial board for Neurology Today and the Journal of Huntington’s Disease.
“We are learning more than ever before about movement disorders though scientific research, to reach our goal of better preventing and treating Parkinson’s and these other debilitating diseases,” says Dr. Feigin. “I am grateful for the opportunity to join a unique center like the Fresco Institute, where all our scientists and clinicians share a common goal to advance care through collaborative research across the Ƶ health system and entire world.”
About the Fresco Institute
The mission of the Marlene and Paolo Fresco Institute for Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders at Ƶ is to advance treatment, education, and research for Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders. Established by a $25 million grant in 2015, the multidisciplinary team at the Fresco Institute works closely with patients and families to develop customized treatment plans that fit goals, control symptoms and enhance quality of life, while helping patients and their families connect to innovative programs in the clinic, community, and at home. These include psychosocial and psychological support services, personalized physical exercise programs, and specialized home services that are designed to enhance quality of life.
The Fresco Institute is also committed to to improve understanding of the nature of Parkinson’s disease and related movement disorders; its researchers are actively investigating ways to better address symptoms and improve treatment options. The team also collaborates with clinicians and researchers in Italy to share projects, train junior researchers, and advance care internationally.
In addition to Drs. Frucht and Feigin, the Fresco Institute’s leadership team includes scientific director ; founding director and director of international programs Alessandro Di Rocco, MD; program manager ; and division administrator Rodica Draghici.
