Jonathan Brotchie

Background

About Jonathan Brotchie

For over 30 years I have been working at the frontiers of research into Parkinson’s disease. Together with the team of world-leading neuroscientists at Atuka, the company I founded, we may have evaluated more potential treatments for Parkinson’s than any other organization. I have personally overseen the assessment of efficacy of more than 300 potential drugs, biologics, and gene therapies for Parkinson’s, with more than 25 therapeutic candidates advancing to clinical development. I first caught the neuroscience bug during my initial research into the subthalamic nucleus in the 1980s, while studying Medicine at the University of Manchester. Ever since, I have dedicated my professional life to the development of novel, life-changing therapeutics for those suffering from Parkinson’s disease. I believe that sharing knowledge and deep collaboration are fundamental to our most impactful scientific achievements. Our teams at Atuka have worked on more than 80 projects with partners in academia, the commercial sector, and government. And I have personally contributed to more than 220 academic papers, cited over times. Outside of my professional work, I apply that same thirst for intellectual novelty and analytical rigour in the worlds of art and agriculture. In 2024, I founded BAP Art Projects to put my collection of postwar and contemporary art to work—not only to support innovative research in Parkinson’s, but also to better understand how the brains of people with Parkinson’s create and appreciate art. At my farm on the Plateaux des Appalaches of Quebec, I have planted an experimental vineyard to investigate how, in a world imperilled by climate change, Vitis sp hybrid grapes might flourish and potentially drive new styles of winemaking in northern climates.