We are happy to welcome Dr. Cholpon Shambetova, a distinguished specialist in movement disorders from Kyrgyzstan, to the Institute of Neurogenetics. Dr. Shambetova is renowned as one of Central Asia's pioneering figures in the realm of movement disorders. Her academic journey includes earning an MD and completing a neurology residency at the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, situated in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Her dedication to the field earned her the MDS-AOS Visiting Trainee Grant, allowing her to complete a fellowship in movement disorders at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in Malaysia, under the guidance of esteemed Professor Shen-Yang Lim.
Upon her return to Kyrgyzstan in 2019, Dr. Shambetova exhibited exceptional leadership by establishing the Movement Disorder and Parkinson's Disease Alliance. This organization focuses on patient education and advocacy, and her impactful leadership led to her selection for the MDS-LEAP program the same year. In 2020, Dr. Shambetova used her policy research to form a multidisciplinary team in Kyrgyzstan to improve access to treatment and care for Parkinson's Disease and other related disorders.
Dr. Shambetova's contributions extend beyond her clinical practice, as she is also committed to enhancing education and research in the field of movement disorders throughout Central Asia. She harbors a particular interest in the genetics of Parkinson's disease and is currently furthering her research at the University of Luebeck in Germany. Her research, supervised by Professor Christine Klein, focuses on the genetic epidemiology and architecture of Parkinson's disease in Kyrgyzstan as part of the GP2 project.
In addition to these accomplishments, Dr. Shambetova serves on numerous committees and task forces for the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society. She has also organized a plethora of educational events and activities. As a part of our team at the Institute of Neurogenetics, we look forward to witnessing and supporting her continued contribution to the field.