
Faculty:
Collaborations:
- Jeffrey M. Vance, M.D.
- Deborah Mash, Ph.D.
- Bonnie Levin, Ph.D.
- Heather Katzen Ph.D.
- Lisa Baumbach, Ph.D. – Clinical Geneticist
Clinical Staff:
- Angela P. Russell ARNP-BC, FNP, PhD
- George Dumenigo, LCSW, MSW
Clinical Research Staff:
- Marian A. Perez, AA, CCRC
- Monica Quesada
- Wendy Levy
Movement Disorders
The Center for Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders (the "Center") is a division of the Department of Neurology within the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine (MSM) of the University of Miami (UM). The Center was started in 1984 and has been under the direction of Dr. Carlos Singer since 2002. It employs four clinical faculty, one Advance Registered Nurse Practitioner, one Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and a support staff of eight. The Center received the designation as a Center of Excellence from the National Parkinson’s Foundation in 2007. From the time of its inception, the Center’s mission has included patient care, research, education and community outreach. The Center’s core philosophy is patient and caregiver centered. In the area of education, the center emphasizes the values of patient and compassion, a holistic approach to medical care and provision to future health professionals of the basic clinical skills to care for patients with Parkinson’s disease. The Center serves as a tertiary referral center for patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders in the South Florida community. The Center is also the premier referral center for patients from abroad with a singular projection to Latin America and the Caribbean.
Services Provided:
The Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders provides the following services:
- Specialized medical diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.
- State of the art neurosurgical therapies including deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.
- Opportunity to participate in research including clinical trials, genetic studies and neuroimaging.
- Clinical social work case management services.
- Inpatient consultation services at Jackson Memorial Hospital and Medical Center and the University of Miami Hospital and Clinics.
- Interdisciplinary Clinic in partnership with St. Catherine’s Rehabilitation Center for patients with Parkinson’s disease. The team consists of a social worker, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist and a physician and/or advance registered nurse practitioner.

- Community outreach activities including support groups, wellness and exercise sessions, educational seminars for patients, families and health professionals.
Faculty Clinical Research Focus:
- Carlos Singer, MD – Nonmotor aspects of Parkinson’s disease.
- Bruno V. Gallo, MD – Electrophysiology and neuro-stimulation.
- Fatta B. Nahab, MD – Neuroimaging of movement disorders
- Cenk Sengun. MD – Community outreach and patient education.
Links and Publications:
- Parkinson Insider (Newsletter Issue 9 - Fall 2011)
- Parkinson Insider (Newsletter Issue 8 - Spring/Summer 2011)
- Parkinson Insider (Newsletter Issue 7 - Winter 2010)
- Parkinson Insider (Newsletter Issue 6 - Summer/Fall 2010)
- Parkinson Insider (Newsletter Issue 5 - Spring 2010/Summer 2010)
- Parkinson Insider (Newsletter Issue 4 - Winter 2009)
- Parkinson Insider (Newsletter Issue 3 - Summer 2009)
- Parkinson Insider (Newsletter Issue 2 - January 2009)
- Parkinson Insider (Newsletter Issue 1)
- Hospitalizations - Critical Information for the PD Patient
- Center of Excellence Designation Announcement
- Click here to read more about our collaboration with Neurosurgery in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders
Faculty Photo
From left to right: Jonathan Jagid M.D., Bruno V. Gallo M.D.,
Carlos Singer M.D., Cenk Sengun M.D.
| Study | Description | Enrollment Status |
|---|---|---|
| STEADY-PD | Isradipine vs placebo in the treatment of patients with early, treated Parkinson's Disease | Enrolling |
| QE3 | Coenzyme Q10 vs placebo in the treatment of patients with early, untreated Parkinson's Disease | Enrolling |
| NET-PD LS-1 | Creatine vs placebo in the treatment of patients with early, treated Parkinson's Disease | Enrolling |
| Rotigotine (Neupro®) vs placebo (SP921) | Rotigotine (Neupro®) vs placebo in patients with advanced-stage Parkinson’s disease | Enrolling |
| URGE-PD | Vesicare vs placebo in the treatment of urinary frequency in patients with Parkinson’s Disease | Enrollment pending |
| Pramipexole IR vs Ropinirole (BIPI) | Pramipexole IR vs Ropinirole in patients with early Parkinson's Disease | Not enrolling |
| ANS | Deep Brain Stimulator (DBS) surgical study | Not enrolling |
| TEVA 501 | Open label study on the long-term effects of rasagiline in patients with Parkinson’s Disease participated in the ADAGIO study | Not enrolling |
| COHORT | Cooperative Huntington Observational Research Trial to study the genetics and environmental factors of Huntington's Disease | Enrolling |
| 2CARE [Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ)] | Coenzyme Q10 vs placebo in the treatment of early-stage Huntington's Disease | Enrolling |
| HORIZON | Dimebon vs placebo in the treatment of mild to moderate dementia in patients with Huntington's Disease | Enrolling |
| CD-PROBE | Informational study for patients with Cervical Dystonia new to the study physician’s practice or new to botulinum toxin | Enrolling |

