When we find a cure for Parkinson's - and we will - it won't be because of any single person. It will be because of all of us, working together. Meet some of the exceptional individuals whose tremendous contributions keep The Michael J. Fox Foundation moving forward.

Todd Sherer, PhD
CEO
Todd Sherer, PhD, is the Chief Executive Officer of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF), reporting to the Board of Directors. Formally trained as a neuroscientist, he directs the organization's research strategy and is responsible for the Foundation's overall scientific and fundraising direction to speed treatment breakthroughs and a cure for Parkinson's disease.
Dr. Sherer has been a key architect of the Foundation's strategy to define high-priority research areas for Parkinson's disease -- therapeutic targets and approaches closest or most critical to practical relevance in patients' daily lives -- and leverage donor-raised capital to push projects in these areas toward the clinic. He has played a major role in efforts to increase the pharmaceutical industry's investment in Parkinson's disease drug development and to engage the patient community to encourage and expand participation in clinical research. Today he is one of the world's foremost experts on the science and business of Parkinson's drug development, speaking frequently on these topics at conferences, to the media and to members of the Parkinson's community.
Dr. Sherer's work with the Foundation began in 2003, when, as a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University in Atlanta, he was awarded MJFF funding to investigate the role of environmental factors in Parkinson's disease. He joined the Foundation's staff full time as Associate Director, Research Programs, in April 2004, and was promoted to Vice President, Research Programs, in June 2006 and Chief Program Officer in November 2010, finally assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer in May 2011.
Dr. Sherer participates in the National Academy of Science Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders and serves on the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences Council and the Cures Acceleration Network Review Board at the National Institutes of Health. He is also on the coordinating committee for the Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Additionally, Dr. Sherer was selected to serve as a council member for the FasterCures' TRAIN (The Research Acceleration and Innovation Network) program.
Dr. Sherer has published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals and sits on the editorial board of the Journal of Parkinson's Disease. He earned his PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and holds a BS in Psychology from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Recent Blog posts
October 16,2018 A Note from Our CEO: A Comprehensive Approach to Parkinson's
May 31,2018 A Note from Our CEO: How Genetic Research Illuminates the Path to Cures
November 14,2017 A Note from Our CEO: Driving Research with Patient Power
May 25,2017 A Note from Our CEO: Research in a Time of Uncertainty
March 15,2017 Uncovering the Promise of c-Abl as a Therapeutic Target: Testing Available Treatments and Supporting New Therapies
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February 23,2017 Foundation Restructures Staff to Better Serve Parkinson's Community
October 27,2016 A Note from Our CEO: Partnerships Foster Progress
May 10,2016 A Note from Our CEO: Expansion on the Shoulders of Community
October 06,2015 A Note from Our CEO: The Road to a Parkinson's Disease Cure
June 25,2015 Working Toward a Cure: Progress in 2015
November 22,2013 The Sherer Report
November 01,2013 Laying a Sound Foundation for Replicable Research
September 26,2013 No Time to Ease the Pedal off Parkinson's Research
April 02,2013 The Sherer Report
November 22,2012 The Sherer Report: We are Gaining Momentum
October 03,2012 Progress Is Tangible and Next Steps Are Worth Driving Forward
April 19,2012 The Sherer Report: April 2012
November 17,2011 The State of Science in Parkinson's Research