Dr. Jonathan Brotchie’s research focuses on the intersection of basal ganglia function and Parkinson’s disease. In both academia and industry, teams led by Jon have discovered and validated targets, and evaluated the pre-clinical efficacy of more potential treatments for PD than any others globally. They have assessed over 300 drugs, biologics, and gene therapies, with more than 80 tested in non-human primates, and over 25 progressing to clinical development. Jon has collaborated with more than 100 pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and acted as consultant to over 80 global organizations (commercial, academic, charitable and governmental). A prolific contributor to academic literature, Jon’s extensive body of work has been influential in defining the science of Parkinson’s disease as we know it today. He is the founder of Atuka and its CEO.

Dr. Michael Hill’s research interest is in the neuropharmacology of Parkinson’s disease, with a particular focus on understanding the complex interactions among the various neurotransmitter systems affected by the condition. With over 25 years of experience in the preclinical CRO sector, Michael has dedicated his career to advancing Parkinson’s disease research and driving the development of innovative and more effective treatments. He has played a pivotal role in the development of numerous therapeutics, collaborating extensively with both large pharmaceutical companies and biotech firms to strategically guide their preclinical programs toward successful clinical trials. Since joining Atuka in 2011, Michael has continued to make significant contributions to the field and currently serves as the company’s Chief Revenue Officer.

Dr. Patrick Howson’s primary research interest is in the development of disease-modifying therapies for neurodegenerative disorders. Patrick has a broad understanding of drug development through several years of working in virtual biotechs, where he has been responsible for research and development projects such as drug-screening programs, manufacture of GMP grade API, IND-enabling studies and Phase I and II clinical trials, including trials in Parkinson’s disease. He uses this experience to help our partners develop preclinical programs suitable for their stage of development. Patrick also is experienced in the generation and management of intellectual property and is an inventor of several patents covering therapeutic approaches for Parkinson’s disease. He has been with Atuka since 2013 and also serves as the company’s Chief Innovation Officer.

Dr. Tom Johnston’s research interests focus on optimizing the translation of advances in fundamental Parkinson’s disease research into novel therapeutic strategies. His Ph.D. work in behavioral neuropharmacology ignited a passion for developing and utilizing rodent and non-human primate models to study PD, particularly relating to motor symptoms and motor complications. More recent interests include the development of models to enhance the translation of putative disease-modifying therapies for PD and other neurodegenerative disorders. His work has yielded over 60 publications and earned him an h-index of 37. In addition to his scientific leadership, Tom oversees Atuka’s facilities in Toronto and Suzhou, PRC and has served as the company’s Chief Operations Officer since 2003.