Local Parkinson's Research Interest Groups

Formed in 2010, the group aims to provide opportunities for members with an interest in Parkinson’s research to meet, communicate, and work together with researchers. They hold quarterly meetings with guest speakers both in person and online, and every year organise the prestigious international Edinburgh Parkinson’s Lecture.

New members are always welcome, and anyone interested can simply join the group’s mailing list.

The Dundee group work very closely with Parkinson’s researchers at the University of Dundee, keeping up to date with their work and visiting the labs on a yearly basis. They work to keep the local Parkinson’s community up to date through regular research talks and events, their website and a newsletter.

The group holds bi-monthly online meetings. New members are welcome, you can find out more about the group on their website or by emailing [email protected]. 

The West of Scotland group works closely in partnership with the 3 other research interest groups across Scotland. They work to keep the local Parkinson’s community up to date through regular research talks and events, their website and a quarterly newsletter.

The group holds bi-monthly online meetings. New members are welcome, you can find out more about the group on their website or by emailing [email protected].   

The North of Scotland Parkinson’s RIG is the newest RIG in Scotland, made up of people with Parkinson’s, their loved ones, and researchers and healthcare professionals across Grampian, the Highlands, and Islands. The group aims to encourage people across the region to take an interest in research, through yearly events, newsletters, social media, and more recently, a podcast series (coming soon!).

The group meets online once per month, usually on the second Tuesday morning and new members are always welcome. Email Liz on [email protected] or visit the group’s website for more information. 

Formed in 2021, the NEC-RIG is led by researchers at Newcastle and Northumbria Universities, and has a strong focus on encouraging Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Parkinson’s research. The group sends regular email updates to members, and organises research events for the local community, encouraging participation in the numerous studies being conducted in the region. 

You can visit the group's website to learn more, and be sure to follow the group on social media: @PDNEC_RIG on Twitter, and ‘Parkinson’s NEC-RIG’ on Facebook.

New members are very welcome. If you would like to join the group, please email Dr Rosie Morris on rosie.e.morris@northumbria.ac.uk or join the mailing list via the group's website.

Led by researcher Dr Niki Ray at Manchester Metropolitan University, the NWRIG’s purpose is to grow the North West Parkinson’s research community, create meaningful connections between people with Parkinson’s and researchers, and promote opportunities for people with Parkinson’s to shape research in the region.

You can keep up to date with the group’s activities on their website. New members are always welcome, if you'd like to join the group email Dr Niki Ray on [email protected]. 

PEMRIG have been established for more than 10 years, meeting bi-monthly online and organising twice-yearly research events and regular in person and virtual lab visits. They work hard to raise awareness of research happening across the East Midlands and further afield, and encourage people to take an interest and get involved. They have close working links with local Parkinson’s support groups, produce a monthly research newsletter and keep their website up to date with news and opportunities.

New members are always welcome, and you can email [email protected] for more information.

The East of England RIG, or RIGeast for short, works closely with Parkinson’s UK staff and researchers at the Universities of Cambridge and Hertfordshire, to increase awareness and understanding of Parkinson’s research across the region. They meet online on a bi-monthly basis, and organise a series of regular research events, both online and in person. Group members visit Parkinson’s groups across the region to talk about research and getting involved.

If you'd like to learn more, please visit the group's website, https://rigeast.uk, or contact Liz Nash on [email protected] for more information. New members are always welcome!

SERIG works very closely with Parkinson’s researchers at the University of Kent. They hold online meetings quarterly and work to keep the local Parkinson’s community up to date through twice-yearly online research events and visits to local support groups.

You can find out more about the group by emailing Liz on [email protected]. New volunteers are very welcome. 

The Devon and Cornwall Peninsula Parkinson’s Research Interest Group (PenPRIG) works to help people across the region understand the nature of Parkinson’s, and what is going on in the research world, and to stimulate interest in research participation. They meet online monthly, and have an excellent selection of research talks on their YouTube channel. 

New members are always welcome, so please email [email protected] to find out more, and be sure to ask to be sent the link to join their Facebook group. 

The Wales RIG meets online monthly, and works to encourage people from all parts of Wales to take an interest in Parkinson’s research. They organise a yearly series of online research events, and keep the Wales community up to date with research opportunities through their newsletter.

Group members enjoy informally chatting about things they’ve read or studies they’ve participated in, and always welcome new members to join the discussion! Contact Liz on [email protected] for more information. 

The Northern Ireland RIG is very new and still in development, so would love to hear from you! They organise research talks to highlight what’s happening in Northern Ireland and further afield, and aim to bring together people with an interest in research to increase awareness and understanding.

If you would like to be involved in helping us develop and shape this important group, please get in touch with Liz on [email protected].