PD GENEration has more than 30,000 participants, showing the genetic variants associated with Parkinson’s disease may be more common than previously reported.
The collaboration expands participation in Parkinson’s genetic research by collecting variable, patient-specific blood.
NEW YORK & MIAMI & SETTLE, March 31, 2026–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Parkinson’s Foundation today announced that more than 30,000 people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have enrolled in PD GENEration: Powered by Parkinson’s Foundation, uncovering new genetic information with the support of Tasso, Inc. the bottom of this disease.
Data from the study revealed that approximately 13 percent of participants had a genetic form of PD. To this extent, the findings provide more insight than ever before into the role genetics may play in PD and reinforce the importance of comprehensive, accessible genetic testing.
“The PD GENEration study demonstrates the commitment of the Parkinson’s disease community to the power of accessible diagnosis,” said James Beck, PhD, vice president and chief scientific officer of the Parkinson’s Foundation. “By providing flexible ways for people to participate, we are expanding our understanding of Parkinson’s disease on a scale previously unattainable and generating data that can help accelerate new treatments and shape the future of care.”
PD GENEration continues to grow, enrolling more than 900 new participants every month. About half of these participants completed their blood collection using Tasso’s at-home, patient-centered devices. Fifty PD GENEration sites, representing approximately 89 percent of participating sites, use Tasso technology to support enrollment and reduce barriers to participation.
Tasso’s patient blood collection technology removes significant barriers to participation for people with Parkinson’s disease, including challenges related to walking, walking, and flying. Adoption of the technology within PD GENEration has doubled since 2024, with increased use in homes and clinical settings to support participant selection and improve the blood collection experience.
“Tasso was founded on the belief that increasing access to high-quality blood collections can accelerate disease research and improve lives,” said Ben Casavant, PhD., Co-Founder and CEO of Tasso, Inc. “By making it easy and comfortable to participate in studies like PD GENEration, we expand participation in scientific discovery and strengthen the research of the Parkinson’s community.”
Researchers are increasingly recognizing that genetics play an important role in Parkinson’s disease, yet many people still face barriers to genetic testing or limited access to specialists.
“For people living with Parkinson’s disease, research is hope,” said Rex Polkinghorne, PD GENEration member and patient advocate. “But for many people in our community, participating in research is not easy and going to clinics for blood tests can be a real obstacle. PD GENEration gives us the opportunity to participate in discoveries that can lead to better treatments and, one day, a cure. Being able to collect blood at home made it possible for me and my father, who also had Parkinson’s disease, for both of them.”
To learn more about this study, visit Parkinson.org/PDGENEration.
About the PD GENEration Study
PD GENEration is an educational resource that provides genetic testing and genetic counseling, free of charge, in English and Spanish, to those living with Parkinson’s disease. PD GENEration is funded by the Parkinson’s Foundation with the support of the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program, a resource program of the Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative. All anonymized data generated in this study is shared with researchers and scientists, primarily through the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (GP2). To learn more about PD GENEration, visit Parkinson.org/PDGENEration or call 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636). For questions about registration, email Genetics@Parkinson.org.
About Parkinson’s Foundation
The Parkinson’s Foundation improves the lives of people with Parkinson’s disease by improving care and advancing research into a cure. In everything we do, we build on the strength, experience and passion of our global Parkinson’s community. Since 1957, the Parkinson’s Foundation has invested more than $513 million in Parkinson’s research and medical care. Contact us at Parkinson.org, Facebook, X, Instagram or call 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636).
About Tasso
Tasso is a healthcare technology company that is changing the traditional blood collection paradigm with a patient-centered approach. The company’s devices enable users to collect blood in an easy, convenient and relatively painless way. Tasso technology has the power to bring healthcare anywhere, anytime. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Tasso is privately held and funded through grants, investments and development partnerships with various industry leaders. For more information, please visit www.tassoinc.com.
About Parkinson’s Disease
Affecting more than a million Americans, Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing neurological disease in the world. It is associated with progressive loss of motor control (eg, tremors or tremors at rest and loss of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (eg, difficulty sleeping, loss of smell and depression). There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease and approximately 90,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the US.
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Names
Media Names Parkinson’s Foundation Melissa Nobles-Gonzalez (305) 537-9134 mgonzalez@parkinson.org
