American Parkinson Disease Association Names G. Frederick Wooten Jr., MD Scientific & Medical Affairs Head

NEW YORK, April 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- G. Frederick Wooten Jr., MD, former chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University of Virginia (UVA), Charlottesville, and an internationally recognized authority on Parkinson's disease, has been named the American Parkinson Disease Association's (APDA) Scientific and Medical Affairs Advisor.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110415/DC82463)

"Dr. Wooten has a long relationship with APDA," said its president Joel A. Miele Sr., in announcing the appointment. "He was one of our first George C. Cotzias, MD Fellowship recipients, awarded to assist promising young neurologists in establishing careers in Parkinson's-related research, teaching and clinical services. He has served as chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board since 1997, and is the medical director of APDA's Virginia Information & Referral Center in Charlottesville."

Dr. Wooten is an Alabama native, was graduated from Rice University and earned his MD degree from Cornell University Medical College. His postgraduate studies were completed at Cornell, H.C. Moffitt-University of California Hospital, and the National Institute of Mental Health Laboratory of Clinical Science. He joined the UVA faculty and was appointed the Mary Anderson Harrison Professor of Neurology in 1982 and was named chairman in 1989. He is a renowned lecturer and visiting professor, author of more than 130 publications, and has written more than 30 book chapters, review articles and other publications.

APDA is the country's largest grassroots organization serving 1.5 million Americans with the progressive degenerating disease for which there is no known cause(s) or cure. APDA operates through a national network of 45 chapters, 54 Information & Referral centers and more than 1,000 support groups, and funds research at nine centers for advanced research in major U.S. academic and heath care institutions.

SOURCE American Parkinson Disease Association