H. James Maurer
Advisory Board Member
Director, Research Communications
Jim Maurer was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1990. He is recognized as a knowledgeable source of information about the latest medical research into the debilitating neurological disorder. He regularly meets with the leading researchers, and can provide up-to-date information about the most recent developments. Through his extensive networking, he fulfills a special role for the medical, research and patient-advocate communities.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Jim served in the military in the 101st Airborn Division from 1952-1954. He attended Mt. Saint Mary's College then went onto Georgetown University Law School in 1959. After working for the US Senate in the early sixties, Jim worked with various major companies like Johnson & Johnson, Chap Stick Company, Sergents Pet Care, Pet 'M Labs as President, Superior Pet and in 1980, he founded Pet Corp of America.
After his diagnosis, Jim became a volunteer patient of NIH (National Institute of Health) and was the first to try altrapane and numerous other Parkinson's disease drugs on a trial basis. In 1994, he wrote a book about the disease with Ken Bernstein "Reasons for Hope" which was reprinted in several languages, and received wide press coverage.
As Director of Research Communications, Jim plays a vital supporting role in the organization by keeping the Parkinson community up-to-date on grants that The Parkinson Alliance has helped to fund as well as newly developing therapies, medication and surgical techniques.
When asked about his association with the Parkinson Alliance, Jim commented that the Alliance provides him with a platform, "Over the years I have worked hard to develop and maintain on-going relationships with many of the leading researchers. An important function that the Alliance performs is that we monitor the progress of the projects -- following up on the progress of grants is part of my responsibility. We want our donors to know exactly how their donation is used. We will be adding a special section to our web site incorporating the reports I provide on the status of each project". Jim tracks the latest developments by contacting investigators and attending major symposiums.
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