An interview with Jasmin Galper, The one for Sergio.
Biography
I’m a medical scientist and Research Fellow at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. I completed my Bachelor of Science at the University of Queensland in 2014, majoring in biomedical science and neuroscience, followed by an Honours degree at the Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research at the QLD Brain Institute in 2015. I then went on to earn my PhD in Medicine from the University of Sydney in the Dementia and Movement Disorder laboratory, where my thesis focused on inflammatory and lipid biofluid markers of Parkinson’s disease. Since the conferral of my PhD in 2022, I’ve been working on blood markers in Parkinson’s disease cases.
Can you tell me more about your Advocacy?
My advocacy mainly takes the form of scientific research to better understand Parkinson’s disease and sharing our findings with other scientists and the public in the form of research publications, conferences and collaborations. To help raise awareness and fundraise for Parkinson’s research, I’ve participated in online Parkinson’s awareness month campaigns by sharing my story and letting people know about the Shake it Up Australia Foundation for Parkinson’s disease research.
What is your passion and how did you get involved in Parkinson’s awareness and hope for a cure?
My passion is in trying to understand the biology behind Parkinson’s disease. My dad with Parkinson’s, who was a scientist himself, ended up inciting some curiosity in me by the way he would show genuine wonder about the mystery of what exactly is happening in a Brain with Parkinson’s. Many years later, I would research Parkinson’s as part of my PhD.
What type of goals do individuals with Parkinson’s have when seeing your Advocacy?
People living with Parkinson’s want hope grounded in science. They might want to understand their own disease better, and ultimately people want a cure, or something that could stop or slow Parkinson’s down. To get this, its understood we need to keep looking into what is happening biologically with Parkinson’s, and how this can inform what kind of treatments are being designed and tested, or what kind of biomarkers may be useful.
What effect can your Advocacy have on an individual with Parkinson’s?
My research-driven advocacy can keep individuals interested in some of the latest scientific developments stay informed and know how to get involved in Parkinson’s research-whether for a clinical trial or research only study, and what kind of impact their participation can have. In Australia, the Shake it Up Australia website has a list of studies and trials, https://shakeitup.org.au/research/ and in the US, the Michale J. Fox Foundation has the same: https://www.michaeljfox.org/your-role-parkinsons-research
What would you like to see as a future goal for your Advocacy?
I would like to see what we can understand about Parkinson’s disease development, by researching early disease, and even the stage prior to Parkinson’s diagnosis, by looking at people at a high risk of Parkinson’s, such as those with REM sleep behavior disorder. If we can identify early changes that could be translated into routine clinical biomarker tests, this could guide a personalized approach to clinical trials.
What events do you participate in?
I have participated in scientific and public conferences and forums such as the Shake It Up Australia Foundation forum, the Insight into Parkinson’s conference and the World Parkinson’s Disease Congress. These events are a good opportunity to catch up on the latest Parkinson’s disease research.
How does this also assist the caregivers?
These events may give caregivers the opportunity to meet others in a similar position. There is a great breadth of topics communicated at these events- they range from exercise programs, which may be currently available to a caregiver’s loved one, to scientific developments, which can help caregivers understand what direction research is going in and what the future may hold. If caregivers are interested in participating in research studies, staying informed on research occurring may be relevant, as there are some research studies that need people without Parkinson’s (controls), which are critical in many research studies. It’s also good to know that not all studies test new drugs-some might be observational, and some may be looking for a small blood sample.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
My researcher profile is
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7204-2849 and my LinkedIn is https://au.linkedin.com/in/jasmin-galper-305633188
For people interested in participating in research, in Australia, please see the Shake it Up Australia website: https://shakeitup.org.au/research/ and in the US, the Michale J Fox Foundation has a great resource on participating in studies: https://www.michaeljfox.org/your-role-parkinsons-research
@Jasmin Galper on LinkedIn and Facebook, @JasminGalper on X
How can others also become advocates for awareness?
Anyone can become an advocate. A great resource to educate yourself with is the Shake It Up Australia Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation. The Fox foundation has a page of advocacy resources: https://www.michaeljfox.org/advocacy-resources. You can attend community events, share your own experience, or be involved in fundraising events.
If you could add any questions to this interview that you may want others to learn about, what would the question(s) be?
I’d want you to ask what the impact the advocacy of others has had on me. Because of the community behind and contributing to charity organizations like the Shake it Up Australia Foundation and the Michael J Fox Foundation, I have been able to research Parkinson’s disease. It’s the support of these foundations and the people who participate in research that allow our team to have the resources and staff to work on our ideas to better understand Parkinson’s.
In your opinion, what is the key to effective advocacy?
We need to make sure the people in government know about the experiences of those with Parkinson’s, and we need them and the community to know that there are scientists that need their support.
How can we better fundraise to support a cure for Parkinson’s?
Fundraising has been pivotal for much of the work that has been done to understand Parkinson’s and its paramount we keep it up. If you’re creative, use that. If you have a story, share it.
What other activities do you undertake to help improve and support your daily living Eg exercise and alternative remedies?
The evidence supporting exercise is good for brain health is strong, and I encourage the community to stay active.
Why should people who don’t have Parkinson’s care about this?
Parkinson’s disease affects approximately 10 million people worldwide, and with ageing populations, that number is rising rapidly. Moreover, the research we do on Parkinson’s has broader implications for understanding other neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and ALS. Caring about Parkinson’s is caring about the future of brain health for all of us.
Have you had any family members or relatives affected by Parkinson’s disease?
My dad Sergio was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease when I was in primary/elementary school, and my great aunt also had Parkinson’s.
If you had one song that would tell us more about you or represent your life, which song would it be?
When I was a kid, my dad and I made a comedic rap song and our friends with a studio recorded it. I hope this never surfaces.
If you had one final statement or quote you could leave for the Parkinson’s community, what would it be?
I’ll quote Michael J. Fox with “When the cure for Parkinson’s is found… it will be because of all of us, working together”.
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TogetherForSharon® In memory of my mother, Sharon to voice awareness & hope for a Parkinson’s Disease cure. Sharon’s Son, George
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