Senator Johnny Isakson announced his definitive diagnosis with Parkinson’s in April of 2015 and regrettably was forced into retirement midway through his third term as a U.S. Senator in December of 2019.

As the CEO of Northside Realty, in the Georgia Legislature, and in the U.S. Congress, Senator Isakson was a leading advocate for public/private research initiatives at the University of Georgia, Emory University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Georgia Research Alliance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Health, the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration, and countless other institutions and organizations around the globe.

As the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Isakson became a renowned healthcare policy leader with his passage of the most comprehensive veterans reform legislation in half a century.

With the Isakson Initiative, we all carry on the legacy of Johnny Isakson and continue to work to find the cures for neurocognitive diseases.

“Upon my retirement, I have rededicated my life to serving the people of Georgia and the United States by doing everything within my power to help those who are working toward a cure for Parkinson’s and other related neurocognitive issues. If our great nation continues to invest in public/private partnerships around biomedical research, we can improve and save the lives of millions of people. What a noble calling.”