Advancing Neurological Research
INSIGHT Institute for Neurodegenerative Research is a non-profit research organization dedicated to advancing independent, evidence-based research into overlooked and potentially modifiable biological mechanisms that may contribute to Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, and related neurodegenerative conditions.
Scientific Rigor and Patient-Oriented Research
By bringing together patients, clinicians, scientists, research institutions, and philanthropic partners, INSIGHT supports research into precision medicine, biomarkers, microbial and environmental factors, interconnected biological systems, and repurposed therapies with the goal of improving early detection, prevention, treatment, and ultimately reducing or preventing neurodegenerative disease.
Dr. Minna Schmidt
Co-Founder, INSIGHT Institute for Neurodegenerative Research
I received my PhD in Biology of Aging jointly from The Buck Institute for Research on Aging and the University of Southern California (USC) in 2021 where I was mentored by Drs. Julie Andersen and Gordon Lithgow.
My doctoral work focused on the study of exercise in a C. elegans worm model of Parkinson's, allowing close observations of exercise-induced changes to ⍺-synuclein, a protein implicated in PD.
In my postdoctoral work, I began to apply bioinformatics and AI predictive modeling to study the Fox Insight human dataset from the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) which has carried into my work at INSIGHT (article in progress.) Today, my research interest is to uncover microbiome-based therapeutics for Parkinson's by closely measuring movement and the microbiome. I also worked to assess the effects of a novel silver-chelated Anle138b compound on ⍺-synuclein aggregation using cell culture in collaboration with the Raptis laboratory at Florida International University (FIU) and participated as an early career research (ECR) in PD-age (funded by MJFF) to help address questions concerning the underlying mechanisms of aging in Parkinson's disease mouse-models.
As a care parter for a loved one with Parkinson's disease, I am honored to join forces with Jennifer Thornton. I am hopeful that we can bring our individual insights to advance research towards a cure for Parkinson's and related neurodegenerative diseases.
Jennifer Thornton
Co-Founder, INSIGHT Institute for Neurodegenerative Research
My journey into chronic illness and neurodegenerative disease research began more than a decade ago. While caring for my father, who was later diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, I witnessed his devastating decline firsthand. Unexplained skin and eye conditions affecting family members also inspired me to investigate the potential roles of environmental exposures, mites, microbes, and chronic inflammation in neurological disease.
My research led to the publication of “Mites, Microbes, and Neurodegeneration: A Unified Environmental Hypothesis for Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Lewy Body Dementia” in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (2026). I also authored the conference abstract “A Prevention-Oriented Trial Framework for Vector-Mediated Contributors to Parkinson’s Disease and Related Synucleinopathies,” published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease as part of the 2026 Planning for Prevention conference proceedings. I am also the author of Clues on the Surface, a book that explores the potential connections between skin and eye conditions, environmental factors, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Having experienced firsthand the profound impact of neurodegenerative disease on families, I am honored to join Dr. Minna Schmidt in founding INSIGHT Institute for Neurodegenerative Research. Together, we are committed to advancing collaborative scientific research, investigating overlooked contributors to disease, and pursuing new opportunities for early detection, prevention, and ultimately, a cure for Parkinson’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders.
Resources
Parkinson's disease (PD): a progressive, neurodegenerative syndrome affecting dopaminergic pathways in the brain. It may originate in the gastrointestinal (GI) system. Environmental factors, such as the synbiome, have been implicated.
Microbiome: the ecological community of microorganisms — including bacteria, archaea, fungi, viruses, and lower/higher eukaryotes — along with their genetic material and the surrounding environmental conditions in a specific habitat.
Synbiome: a specialized biological sphere of microscopic organisms residing within the body. It includes the microbiome and larger organisms like Demodex mites (vectors)
Vector: any living organism — such as an insect, mite, tick, or rodent — that can transmit infectious disease agents or cause injury to humans and animals.
Abstracts/Posters
'A Prevention-Oriented Trial Framework for Vector-Mediated Contributors to Parkinson's Disease and Related Synucleinopathies', Jennifer Thornton (2026)
-Abstract
'Implementation of prediction modeling to assess oral and gut microbial signatures associated with brain or body-first Parkinson’s disease - a Fox Insight data study', Minna Schmidt (2026)
'Exercise, the microbiome, and Parkinson’s: Insights from the Fox Insight
human data set', Minna Schmidt (2026)