Be Brilliant Urgently, Advancing Parkinson’s Research Through Partnerships with Michelle Durborow

Breakthrough therapies do not begin with commercialization, yet without it, many breakthroughs never reach patients. That tension sits at the center of this conversation with Michelle Durborow, Vice President of Research Operations at the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, where she oversees grant administration and program operations for Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP).Michelle explains how a patient-driven mission influences the foundation’s research funding strategy, particularly when it comes to early, high-risk science. From the outset, her team evaluates not only scientific merit, but also what each project makes possible, the decisions it informs, the risks it reduces, and how it contributes to the long-term therapeutic pipeline.The episode also takes a look at intellectual property. Michelle shares why MJFF views IP not as a barrier, but as a practical mechanism that enables investment, partnership, and ultimately patient access. By removing itself from IP ownership, the foundation reduces friction while still supporting responsible protection, alignment of incentives, and meaningful data-sharing practices.Michelle brings an operational perspective that resonates strongly with the tech transfer community. She speaks about bottlenecks, collaboration dynamics, and the importance of engaging earlier, before agreements become urgent and negotiations become strained. This strategic conversation offers lessons that extend well beyond Parkinson’s research.In This Episode:[01:50] Michelle outlines the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s mission to eliminate Parkinson’s disease while improving treatments for patients today.[02:16] Technology transfer is the pathway that moves discoveries from ideas into scalable therapies and diagnostics.[03:05] We discuss how patient impact directly connects to commercialization and translational strategy.[04:10] Why MJFF evaluates translation potential at the very start of proposal review.[04:55] Early-stage projects are assessed based on what decisions they inform and which risks they retire.[06:12] Intellectual property is positioned not as a barrier, but as a bridge enabling investment and development.[07:05] How patents provide confidence for partners navigating long, expensive R&D pathways.[08:02] MJFF’s choice not to claim IP ownership is highlighted as a friction-reducing strategy.[09:10] Michelle emphasizes that misaligned incentives not patents are what typically stall progress.[11:16] Bottlenecks such as prolonged MTAs and data-use negotiations are identified as major slowdowns.[12:11] She notes that unclear access terms and fragmented ownership frequently delay research momentum.[12:33] The importance of bringing experts into agreement structuring is underscored.[13:07] Michelle describes initiatives like the LURC2 Investigative Therapeutics Exchange and the LITE consortium.[14:02] Early engagement with technology transfer offices is presented as essential for smoother partnerships.[16:19] Collaboration lessons emerge: align goals early and define roles clearly across stakeholders.[17:10] She advocates running science and deal mechanics in parallel rather than sequentially.[18:02] Straightforward, repeatable agreement frameworks are credited with reducing negotiation friction.[20:15] Trust is described as something built through transparency about incentives and risks.[22:05] Michelle shares Michael J. Fox’s guiding principle: “purity of motives.”[25:51] She reflects on her career shift from lab science to research operations and systems design.[27:05] Michelle highlights MJFF resources, including guides, webinars, and the Buddy Network.[28:37] Looking ahead, she expresses optimism about precision medicine and biomarker-driven care.[29:55] Her closing message is to move faster together and keep patients at the center.Resources: AUTMThe Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s ResearchMichelle Durborow - LinkedInAligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP)Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI)Targets to Therapies ProgramParkinson's Buddy NetworkParkinson’s IQ + You Events