Clinical Trials Staff

Dr. Liang earned her undergraduate degree from Princeton University. She received her medical degree from the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine. She completed her internship in internal medicine and residency in neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. During her Clinical Research Fellowship at the Parkinson’s disease and Movement Disorders Center at the Penn Neurological Institute and Veterans Affairs (VA) Parkinson’s Disease, Research, Education and Clinical Centers (PADRECC), she was actively involved in patient care and clinical research for Parkinson’s disease and other related disorders. She has published articles on her research in neurogenetics and new therapies such as surgical treatment for Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders.

Dr. Liang joined The Parkinson’s Institute in 2005 as a Movement Disorders Specialist. She is focused on the development of new treatments for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders and is actively involved in clinical research programs at the Institute.

Melanie Brandabur, MD received her BA degree from The University of Illinois in Urbana and her MD degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago. She completed her Neurology residency at Rush-Presbyterian- St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. While there, she completed a fellowship in Movement Disorders and Pharmacology (under the direction of Doctors Harold Klawans and Christopher Goetz). This was followed by a Post-doctoral basic sciences fellowship in Neurodegenerative Diseases with Dr. Elliott Mufson. She also studied at The Hospital de la Salpetriere in Paris, France under Dr. Yves Agid.

While in Chicago, she worked with The University of Illinois and then at The Alexian Neurosciences Institute. She served as the Medical Director of The National Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence Movement Disorders Center.

In July of 2006, she joined the faculty at The Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center in Sunnyvale, California as the Director of the outpatient clinic for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.

Dr. Tanner earned her medical degree at Loyola University (1976) and completed a residency in Neurology and fellowship in Clinical Neuropharmacology and Movement Disorders at Rush-Presbyterian- St. Luke’s Medical Center, where she was an Associate Professor of Neurological Sciences until joining the Institute in 1990. She was awarded a Ph.D. degree in Environmental Toxicology and Epidemiology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1998. During her 24-year long medical career, Dr. Tanner has published two textbooks and a videotext, authored and co-authored over 150 articles and research papers on the topics of treatment, natural history, epidemiology and etiology of various movement disorders.

Dr. Tetrud earned his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota and worked for Hughes Aircraft Company and Lockheed Missiles and Space before pursuing a career in medicine. After graduating from New York University School of Medicine, Dr. Tetrud completed a straight medical internship at the Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital in Los Angeles and residency training in neurology at UCLA/Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital, where he was Chief Resident in Neurology. He continued his postgraduate education with a fellowship at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, London, England, as well as a fellowship in movement disorders in the Department of Neurology at Stanford University Medical Center. In the early 1980’s Dr. Tetrud, together with Dr. J. William Langston and others identified intravenous drug users with parkinsonism cause by neurotoxin known as “MPTP,” currently used widely as a research tool for the study of Parkinson’s disease. Since joining the Parkinson’s Institute in 1988, Dr. Tetrud has authored and coauthored over 60 journal articles and book chapters. His work has been published in Science, New England Journal of Medicine, Neurology, Annals of Neurology, Movement Disorders, and Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, amongst others.

Dr. Tetrud is an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at Stanford Medical Center and has a courtesy appointment at the El Camino Hospital, Mountain View, California. He is board certified in neurology and a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the Movement Disorder Society, California Medical Association, and the Santa Clara County Medical Society.

Alice received her undergraduate nursing degree from Russell Sage College in Troy, New York in 1986 and her Master’s Degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Sage Graduate school in 1995 and is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Alice’s background has been largely focused in geriatrics and Alzheimer’s Disease, dementias and other neurological disorders. She also has extensive experience in clinical trials both at Albany Medical Center and Georgetown University. Alice most enjoys interacting with patients and their families while trying to help them navigate the complicated course of chronic illness. Alice believes it is important to enhance each patient’s quality of life through knowledge, education, compassion and caring

Her personal interests include spending time with her husband and family, boating, golfing, cooking, reading and music.

Liza Reys is a Clinical Research Coordinator, managing drug and device trials sponsored by outside organizations. She graduated from University of California, Davis with a Bachelor’s of Science in Genetic Health Care, a major created to incorporate her love of genetics and the joy in patient care.

Before coming to The Parkinson’s Institute, Liza worked for pharmaceutical and device companies, creating and auditing clinical trials.

Kathie is a Clinical Research Coordinator and Registered Nurse focusing on managing sponsored pharmaceutical drug trials.  Her other duties include patient care, telephone calls and advice, prescriptions, and other clinic duties. She received a Bachelor’s of Science in Biomedical Science from Western Michigan University. She worked in a genetics laboratory for Western Michigan University and focused on pancreatic cancer research in connection with Michigan State University’s Medical School. Kathie has also worked in an ophthalmology practice involved in direct patient care. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She has worked as a RN specializing in critical care and emergency medicine including trauma services, open heart, pediatric, and specialized neuro-surgical care in both Michigan and California. Kathie has worked at The Parkinson’s Institute since 2007. Other areas of interest are Deep Brain Stimulation and community outreach.