A Legacy of Scientific Discovery
“I founded the AD/PD™ conferences to unite AD & PD R&D, emphasizing their shared pathology, diagnostics, and therapies in a comprehensive, translational approach.“
Prof. Abraham Fisher
The AD/PD™ International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases was founded in 1985 in Eilat, Israel, by Profs. Abraham Fisher & Israel Hanin. What began as a pioneering meeting of 300 participants introduced a bold and unconventional idea: that Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases should be studied not in isolation, but through shared mechanisms and overlapping scientific pathways.
This vision, bringing together researchers across traditionally separate fields, laid the foundation for what would become one of the most influential scientific gatherings in neurodegenerative disease research.
In its early years, AD/PD™ was held on a semi-regular basis, convening leading experts in key global locations including Kyoto, Chicago, and Eilat. As the field evolved and momentum grew, the conference transitioned in 2003 to a biennial format, with Europe as its primary host region. This shift marked the beginning of a new era of consistency, scale, and expanding international participation.
Over the following two decades, AD/PD™ experienced steady and significant growth, reflecting both the urgency of neurodegenerative research and the conference’s unique multidisciplinary approach. Attendance milestones illustrate this trajectory – from over 1,000 participants in 2003 to more than 2,000 in 2007, 3,000 in 2013, and over 4,000 by 2023.
In 2020, the AAT-AD/PD™ Focus Meeting was the first international conference to go fully virtual following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, AD/PD™ reached another important turning point, evolving from a biennial to an annual event in response to accelerating scientific progress and increasing global demand for collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Today, AD/PD™ stands as the leading international conference dedicated to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and related disorders. By 2026, attendance reached 6,000 participants, marking its largest edition to date. As one of the first major neuroscience conferences of the year, AD/PD™ continues to serve as a global stage for unveiling breakthrough discoveries and shaping the future of the field.
From a small, visionary meeting in Eilat to a world-leading scientific platform, AD/PD™ remains defined by its founding principle: striving for a better future for all those affected by neurodegenerative diseases through collaboration across disciplines.
