Michael Okun

Michael S. Okun, MD is an author, neurologist and researcher who received his M.D. from the University of Florida where he graduated with Honors. He was trained at Emory University, one of the world’s leading centers for movement disorders research. His research has been featured in the Smithsonian Magazine, National Geographic and on CNN. He is currently Chairman of Neurology, Professor and Co-director of the Fixel Center for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Dr. Okun was recently recognized in 2015 at the White House for being a Champion of Change for Parkinson’s Disease. The center at UF is unique in that it is comprised of 40+ interdisciplinary faculty members from diverse areas of campus, all of whom are dedicated to care, outreach, education and research. He was instrumental in the construction of a one-stop patient-centered clinical-research experience for national and international patients seen at the University of Florida. He has also been a champion of the international construction of service and science hubs for neurological diseases. Dr. Okun is the National Medical Director for the Parkinson’s Foundation and has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Smallwood Foundation, the Tourette Syndrome Association, the Parkinson Alliance, the Bachmann-Strauss Foundation, the Parkinson’s Foundation, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Dr. Okun has enjoyed a prolific research career exploring non-motor basal ganglia brain features and currently holds two NIH R01 grants on deep brain stimulation. He has been an integral part of some of the pioneering studies exploring the cognitive, behavioral, and mood effects of brain stimulation. Dr. Okun holds the Adelaide Lackner Professorship in Neurology and has published over 350 peer-reviewed articles. He is a poet (Lessons From the Bedside, 1995) and his book, Parkinson’s Treatment: 10 Secrets to a Happier Life, was translated into over 20 languages. His latest books, 10 Breakthrough Therapies in Parkinson’s disease and Tourette Syndrome: 10 Secrets to a Happier Life have both just been published.