Our clinical staff includes a team of movement disorders specialists, RNs, LVNs, MAs, and other trained professionals.
Kristin Andruska, MD, PhD
Medical Director
Dr. Andruska is a board-certified neurologist who completed her fellowship in movement disorders at Stanford University. She has expertise in the use of botulinum toxin and deep brain stimulation and is committed to the lifelong care of those with Parkinson’s and other movement disorders. She completed her neurology residency at Washington University in St. Louis, where she also served as the chief resident of education. She was the recipient of the Irwin Levy Prize for Teaching, and the Abdullah M. Nassief Award for Neurology.
She attended the University of Minnesota School of Medicine, graduating from its prestigious Medical Scientist Training Program with both an MD and Ph.D. Her research in neurobiology focused on disease models of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA1) in the lab of Dr. Harry Orr, a world-renowned researcher credited with discovering the genetic abnormality causing the disease—a seminal discovery that has had a wide-reaching impact in our understanding of neurodegenerative disorders. She received her undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Andruska also has significant research experience in Parkinson’s. While at Washington University, she focused on two important projects. First, analyzing where alpha-synuclein, the major constituent protein of Lewy Bodies, localizes in the brains of people with Parkinson’s. And second, using sophisticated genetic techniques and population analysis, identifying which genetic variants influence Parkinson’s risk, onset, and progression.
Christopher Way, DO
Movement Disorders Specialist
Dr. Christopher Way is a board-certified neurologist specializing in Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders. He received his undergraduate degree from UCLA in Neuroscience, his medical degree from Touro University in Vallejo, CA and completed his residency in Neurology at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. He went on to complete a 2-year fellowship training in Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders at the Portland VA Medical Center and Oregon Health & Science University in 2018.
Dr. Way is an advanced practitioner in deep brain stimulation programming with both Medtronic and the newer directional St. Jude Infinity systems for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. He has expertise in botulinum toxin injections with and without EMG guidance for cervical, craniofacial and limb dystonia, blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm, spasticity, and chronic migraine. He has experience in treating rare genetic movement disorders, including spinocerebellar ataxias, primary torsion dystonias, myoclonus-dystonia, and neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation.
Dr. Way’s passion lies in caring for patients with Parkinson’s disease. Christopher’s first exposure to Parkinson’s disease was when his was father was diagnosed with PD in his 40’s. Christopher’s father was a patient of Dr. James Tetrud at the Parkinson’s Institute in the early 1990s and his family’s positive experience with the Parkinson’s Institute was a critical factor in his decision to return to PICC as a physician decades later.
Dr. Way is committed to the interdisciplinary team-based approach to patient care and research that the Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center is known for. His research has focused on blood pressure fluctuations in Parkinson’s disease and the specificity of a radiologic sign known as the ‘hot cross bun’ sign for an atypical form of parkinsonism known as multiple system atrophy.
Deborah Nin
Speech Pathologist
Deborah Nin is a nationally recognized member of the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) and licensed in the state of California as a speech language pathologist. She holds a master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) from the University of Central Florida and a bachelor’s degree in CSD from the University of Florida.
Her experience includes facilitator for California’s first Parkinson’s Self Efficacy Learning Forum, work in the in-patient short- and long-term rehabilitation settings. Deborah has provided speech language pathology services at the Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center since April 2017.
Mrs. Nin is Lee Silverman Voice Treatment LOUD (LSVT-LOUD) certified. She is a member of the Medical Speech Pathology Council of California. Mrs. Nin uses evidence- based practice with the patient at the center of care!
Clinical Trials Team
Our Clinical Trials team includes experienced lead clinical research coordinators. If you are interested in participating in or learning more about our clinical trials, call