Michael Okun, MD

Medical Advisor, PD Avengers

Michael Okun, MD, is a board-certified neurologist, movement disorders specialist, neuroscientist, and author who practices with the philosophy that “the patient is the sun” and should be at the center of all care decisions.

He co-founded and co-directs the internationally renowned Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at University of Florida with his neurosurgeon partner and colleague, Kelly Foote, MD. Since 2006, he has served as both the Medical Director and, more recently, the Medical Advisor for the Parkinson’s Foundation.

Michael S. Okun is the Adelaide Lackner Distinguished Professor of Neurology at the University of Florida and Director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases. Michael is one of the world’s leading Parkinson’s disease researchers who has advanced surgical treatments. Michael is the National Medical Advisor of the Parkinson’s Foundation, the country’s largest Parkinson’s disease patient and advocacy group. Michael is author of The Parkinson’s Plan: A New Path to Prevention and Treatment (Public Affairs, 2025).

“My singular philosophy is that the patient is the sun, and the 
health care team should orbit around the patient’s needs.”

- Dr. Michael Okun

When he is not caring for patients, Dr. Okun conducts human research, including clinical trials and investigations into the cognitive, behavioral, and mood effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and neuromodulation. He has published more than 600 papers and review articles on Parkinson’s and other movement disorders. His work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Smallwood Foundation, the Tourette Association of America, the Parkinson’s Alliance, the Parkinson’s Foundation, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Dr. Okun is also passionate about the importance of arts in medicine. In 1995, he authored his first book of poetry, Lessons From the Bedside. Since then, he has written 14 books related to living a full life with neurological disease.