Celebrating Michael J. Fox's Lasker Award and the Community Behind It

On September 9, 2026, Michael J. Fox received the 2026 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award, one of the nation's highest honors in biomedical science, recognizing his work to empower the voices of people with Parkinson's and accelerate research toward better treatments and a cure.

For Michael, the recognition belongs to a much larger community. "Receiving a Lasker is humbling," Michael said. "I share this honor with everyone who works side by side with us: scientists, policymakers, and most of all, the patients and families who give their all to this cause. I am deeply grateful to them, and to everyone who is part of the effort to end Parkinson's."

Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1991 at age 29 and publicly disclosed his diagnosis in 1998, turning his personal experience into a platform for Parkinson's advocacy. Two years later, he co-founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) with Debi Brooks, with a simple but ambitious goal: find better treatments and, ultimately, a cure for Parkinson's.

A Moment to Celebrate and Reflect on Progress

The response to Michael's Lasker recognition reflects something that has defined his decades-long advocacy: bringing the urgency and possibility of Parkinson's research beyond the laboratory and into a much wider public conversation.

In the first day following the announcement, the response reached far beyond the Foundation, with reflections from people with Parkinson's and their families, researchers, clinicians, advocates and organizations around the world.

In an exclusive interview with People, Michael spoke candidly about living with Parkinson's and the urgency that continues to drive him and the Foundation, saying, "We're getting close" to a cure.

Some of the most powerful reflections came from scientists who have witnessed the evolution of Parkinson's research firsthand.

In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nobel and Lasker laureate Randy Schekman, PhD, who nominated Michael for the award, writes that "Fox's commitment and integrity have altered the landscape of inquiry into the clinical and basic science of PD." He points to a field now approaching discoveries and clinical trials aimed not only at managing symptoms, but at the underlying causes of Parkinson's.

Writing in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Dimitri Krainc, MD, PhD, President-elect of the American Neurological Association, reflects on another part of Michael's impact: changing who has a voice in science. "Michael recognized that patients themselves are indispensable partners in scientific discovery," Dr. Krainc writes, describing how people with Parkinson's have become active participants in research and helped reshape scientists' understanding of the disease.

And Dr. Krainc captures the meaning of Michael's leadership beyond any single scientific achievement: "For those living with Parkinson's disease today, Michael J. Fox represents hope. For their families, he represents courage in the face of uncertainty. For researchers, he represents partnership."

Scientific and medical publications also explored how that philosophy has translated into research. Drug Discovery News examined MJFF's investments in shared research infrastructure, biomarkers and early therapeutic development, including the Parkinson Precision Medicine Initiative and the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay, and how those investments are helping promising science move toward treatments.

Those reflections have been echoed across the Parkinson's community. The World Parkinson Congress called the honor a "well-deserved recognition," celebrating Michael's vision and commitment to collaboration and the global community united around the urgency to accelerate progress.

That sense of hope was echoed again and again in reactions from people with Parkinson's and their loved ones. "Congratulations and thank you for all you do," one person wrote. "You give all of us with Parkinson's hope!!!!" Another thanked Michael for his "vision and leadership" toward a future where Parkinson's is a thing of the past.

Together, these voices reflect the breadth of Michael's impact: bringing greater public attention to Parkinson's, helping transform how research gets done and giving people and families around the world greater reason to believe in what science can make possible.

The Work Ahead

For Michael, the Lasker is not a finish line. The scientific opportunities ahead are significant and reflected in our Strategic Research Agenda. Biomarkers are allowing researchers to study Parkinson's biology earlier and more precisely. A growing therapeutic pipeline is pursuing many different biological targets. And the field is moving toward research that asks not only how to treat Parkinson's after diagnosis, but whether it may someday be possible to intervene before symptoms begin.

Realizing that potential will require continued commitment from government, industry, researchers, donors and, critically, people with Parkinson's and their families.

Twenty-five years ago, Michael and the Foundation had a hunch that bringing people with Parkinson's to the table and moving research with greater urgency could change what was possible. Today's recognition celebrates how much that idea has helped change. And tomorrow, the work continues.

To be part of what comes next, MJFF offers ways to get involved in Parkinson's research.

• Jenny Montooth

  Senior Corporate Communications Specialist