Atuka’s lead scientists have dedicated their careers to furthering our understanding of Parkinson’s disease, advancing novel therapeutics, and alleviating the burden of those suffering from neurological disorders.

Founded by Dr. Jonathan Brotchie in 2003, Atuka has been involved in the preclinical evaluation of more than 300 potential therapeutics, predominantly in Parkinson’s disease, of which more than 30 have progressed to clinical trials—a level of experience without equal in our field globally. Our lead scientists have collectively published more than 300 peer-reviewed, highly-cited papers, and individually possess h-indices ranging from 25 to 70.

With offices and facilities in Toronto and Suzhou, Atuka’s team is diverse both in background and expertise, bringing to every one of our partner engagements a spirit of close collaboration, along with a commitment to the highest ethical standards in scientific research.

The Atuka Difference

At Atuka, close collaboration, innovation, and a deep commitment to professionalism and the highest ethical standards are at the core of everything we do.

Our collective vision as a team is to deliver and grow translational success in Parkinson’s disease, while expanding our impact to all areas of neuroscience.

We go about our work improving the lives of those suffering from Parkinson’s disease, and the other conditions we study, with a relentless focus on the three core pillars of our organizational culture.

1. Scientific Integrity

We are committed to continuous innovation in the design and interpretation of studies, an unbending commitment to animal welfare, and an absolute dedication to quality in ensuring reliable and repeatable data, backed by the highest standards of scientific ethics and procedure.

2. Collaboration

Effective scientific collaboration happens on four fronts. It begins internally, across all teams and functions. Our mission is shared, and we learn from each other. We also collaborate deeply with our partners, co-designing approaches that go beyond any standardized approach. We collaborate with external scientific partners, learning from and building on the world’s best sources of knowledge. And we are committed collaborators in the broader research ecosystem, sharing knowledge, research, techniques, and best practices.

3. People

We provide a space to build a lifelong career working on big scientific challenges, ensuring that our diverse team has the tools they need to grow and thrive, along with meaningful rewards and benefits. And we are committed to providing all of our people with the opportunity to contribute to our body of shared knowledge and expertise, sharing the impact of work both internally and externally, with partners, collaborators, and the broader Parkinson’s and scientific communities.

Meet Our Team

Sonia Aksamit

Senior Technician

Donya Aref

Scientist

Jonathan Brotchie

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman

Andrea Datu

Operations Manager

Michael Hill

Chief Revenue Officer

Patrick Howson

Chief Innovation Officer

Su Jin

Operations Manager

Tom Johnston

Chief Operating Officer

Tielli Magnus

Scientist

Anna Oliinyk

Technician

Donna Pires

Partner, People and Finance

Adilya Rafikova

Senior Technician

David Sefton

General Counsel

Caitlyn Skeith

Senior Technician

Sahar Tamadon

Training Manager

Chaohuan Yan

Senior Technician

Ayme Yupari

Senior Technician

Sites and Facilities

Atuka’s partners benefit from experienced scientists using advanced technologies at leading-edge research facilities in Canada and China.

Our Toronto headquarters site: 

  • Rodent in vivo laboratory 
  • In vitro laboratory 
  • Administrative office 

Our site in Suzhou, China:

  • Macaque in vivo facility 
  • In vivo imaging
  • Surgical studies
  • Bioanalytical services
  • Behavioural studies

Excellence Demands True Inclusivity

Inclusion isn’t just a word on a checklist for us—it’s at the heart of how we expect everybody, including our leadership, to work. This means there are no barriers to anybody in discussions around what we are trying to achieve, and how we go about achieving it. Atuka’s lead scientists have dedicated their careers to ending the suffering caused by Parkinson’s, and we take seriously our role in nurturing and developing the next generation of scientists, technicians, and expert support teams ready to work on these big problems.

Our team is small, diverse, and deeply collaborative. Our collective experience, from leadership down, fuels a culture of continuous learning that permeates every level of the organization. This body of shared knowledge and expertise isn’t just a resource. It’s a dynamic, constantly evolving tool accessible to everyone at Atuka that helps keep us at the forefront of our field.

Atuka is proud to support and partner with the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) and Indigenous Works (IW)  

Atuka is an Employer Partner with CCDI, which provides numerous benefits that support us on our diversity and inclusion journey, including Diversity Ink, the CCDI monthly newsletter, access to the CCDI Knowledge Repository, monthly webinars, and in-person events, in which CCDI hosts best-practice forums and Community of Practice events. 

Atuka is also a proud member of the Leadership Circle of Indigenous Works (IW), a Canadian not-for-profit with a mandate to improve the inclusion and engagement of Indigenous people in the Canadian economy.