2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS  2018 AAN ANNUAL MEETING ON-SITE GUIDE EXCERPT
ADVANCING NEUROLOGY. ADVANCING YOU.
2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS
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he research we celebrate, with the recipients below, has generated paradigm-changing discoveries in epilepsy, fundamental insights in multiple sclerosis, and pioneering breakthroughs in pain, to name a few of the transformative advances conceived by these luminaries. We honor those researchers and pay tribute to all those who play a role in the search for cures for brain disease, from mentors to colleagues to those just starting out on their journey. The American Academy of Neurology thanks the American Brain Foundation for its philanthropic support of American Academy of Neurology’s awards program.
ALLIANCE AWARDS: FOUNDERS
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by the former American Academy of Neurology Alliance.
Recipient: Ezequiel Gleichgerrcht, MD
Thank You Statement: None of this would be possible without the support from my research mentor, Dr. Leonardo Bonilha. His guidance and encouragement have continued to ignite my research interests throughout residency. His bright mind and kindness are both humbling and inspiring.
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Gleichgerrcht’s work applies state-of-the-art neuroimaging analysis techniques, founded upon pathobiologic principles, to improve prognostic capabilities beyond current clinical standards/ impressions in the treatment of patients undergoing epilepsy surgery for medication-refractory epilepsy. His masterful application of high-level analytics not only demonstrates a scientific aptitude for formulating and addressing a clinically relevant scientific question, but also provides a meaningful contribution to the clinical field of epileptology, supporting clinical decision making and defining potential biomarkers for early intervention and/or prevention. In sum, his findings accurately predict surgical outcomes based on network influence in the ipsilateral temporal lobe, based on graph theory analyses of an individual’s diffusion tensor imaging-based connectome.
ALLIANCE AWARDS: S. WEIR MITCHELL
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by the former American Academy of Neurology Alliance.
Recipient: Eric C. Landsness, MD, PhD Thank You Statement: My co-author on this manuscript, Lindsey Brier, deserves equal credit and it was through our combined efforts that this project came to fruition.
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Landsness embodies the essence of a resident clinician scientist. His study builds upon an early career of scientific inquiry by applying newly acquired, sophisticated techniques and statistical methods to derive confirmatory information
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
about sleep neurophysiology with high spatial and temporal resolution. Measuring realtime cortical slow-wave propagation through in vivo imaging of calcium-based neuronal activity correlated to electroencephalography he demonstrates one of the key underlying neurophysiologic phenomena of sleep - antero-posterior propagation of slow wave activity -, while also providing inroads to translational applications in humans.
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY PRESIDENT’S AWARD This award is given by the American Academy of Neurology President for outstanding service to the AAN and the profession of neurology.
Recipient: Lisa M. Shulman, MD, FAAN, Baltimore, MD T hank You Statement: Why do thousands of AAN members donate their time to serve the Academy? Opportunities to work on major issues confronting neurology draw many of us. But less acknowledged is what we gain— unanticipated new skills of communication, governance, and leadership. Thank you for this award— it’s a genuine pleasure and privilege.
AWARDS
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Since 1991, Lisa M. Shulman, MD, FAAN, has worked tirelessly to further the AAN’s mission, serving as an exemplary Board member and steward of AAN finances; helping guide us in many committees; championing patient education and measurements; and supporting the American Brain Foundation’s strategic plan—always with enthusiasm and energy. She has served on the AAN Board of Directors from 2007-17 as a member, Secretary, and Treasurer.
AMERICAN BRAIN FOUNDATION BOARD CHAIR’S AWARD Sponsored by the American Brain Foundation.
Recipient: Richard P. Essey, San Francisco, CA Thank You Statement: It is an honor to be recognized by the American Brain Foundation for my work to defeat ALS. I created The Sheila Essey Award in honor of my wife Sheila with the goal of encouraging and recognizing scientific research towards new advancements in treatment and ultimately, towards finding a cure. I am proud that, since its inception, remarkable work has been done, advancing progress and giving hope to patients and caregivers. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: For his leadership in philanthropy, establishing the Sheila Essey Award for Research in ALS.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN NEUROLOGISTS IN AMERICA (AINA) LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Sponsored by the American Brain Foundation.
Recipient: Vinay Chaudhry, MD, MBA, CPE, FRCP, FAAN, Baltimore, MD Thank You Statement: I am deeply honored and grateful to receive this honor from an organization that I admire.
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Chaudhry is professor of neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where he is the co-director of EMG laboratory and was Vice‑Chair of Clinical Affairs and Director of the Neurology Outpatient Center. He is internationally recognized as a clinician, teacher, researcher, and a leader in field of neuromuscular medicine and electrophysiology. Dr. Chaudhry’s areas of research include Wallerian degeneration in human nerves, multifocal motor neuropathy, toxic neuropathies, and electrophysiological aspects of neuromuscular diseases. Dr. Chaudhry has over 130 publications and has participated in numerous clinical trials in motor neuron disease, peripheral neuropathies, myasthenia gravis, and myotonic muscular dystrophy. He has been on the editorial board of muscle nerve, neurologist, and science. He has served on the board of directors of AAN and American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine. Dr. Chaudhry was the chair of Neuromuscular section of AAN (2001-05), and it was under his leadership that Neuromuscular Medicine Board was created. Dr. Chaudhry was President of the AINA from 2001-2003 and President of Aiimsonians of America (2002-4), his alumni group, which also awarded him with a distinguished alumnus award in 2006.
AWARD FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION OF HUMAN VALUES IN NEUROLOGY This award is sponsored by the Ethics, Law, and Humanities Committee, a joint committee of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Neurological Association, and the Child Neurology Society.
Recipient: Madaline B. Harrison, MD, Charlottesville, VA Thank You Statement: I am grateful for this award and the opportunity to acknowledge my mentors. Thanks to Fred Wooten, MD, who taught me neurology and about being with patients and to Dan Becker, MD, MFA, for his encouragement and editor’s eye. Thanks also to the Taos Writing Retreat and my writing group. Why The Recipient Was Chosen: The Creative Expression Award recognizes the artistic expression of human values in neurology. Dr. Harrison’s essay, The 9 o’clock patient, elegantly expresses her keen understanding of her patients–not only their medical conditions, but also their relationships and the other sources of meaning in their lives.
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A.B. BAKER AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN NEUROLOGIC EDUCATION
Funded by an endowment created by matching funds from the A.B. Baker Family Trust and Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Recipient: Steven Galetta, MD, FAAN New York, New York Thank You Statement: Thank very much for this honor, but I’m not foolish enough to regard it as an individual one. It would be no fun if it happened that way. Learning and teaching is a two way street and in its most perfect form the distinction is blurred. So, I share this award with all the trainees, colleagues, and mentors that I had the pleasure to cross paths with. I’m very grateful to be their representative. Why The Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Galetta is a devoted and exceptional leader with an impressive impact on neurology education. He has had a prolific career which includes being the recipient of multiple teaching awards.
AWARDS
SIDNEY CARTER AWARD IN CHILD NEUROLOGY Recipient: Richard S. Finkel, MD Nemours Children’s Hospital Orlando, FL Title: Spinal Muscular Atrophy Is a Treatable Neurodegenerative Disease
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS CLERKSHIP COORDINATOR RECOGNITION AWARD Recipients: Maryam Shakir, MPH, Miami, FL Thank You Statement: I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to the AAN for choosing me as a recipient of the Clerkship Coordinator Recognition Award. I am delighted to be acknowledged by the faculty and students I have had the pleasure to work with.
Janet Lopez, Chicago, IL Thank You Statement: I am honored to receive this award from the AAN. I would like to thank Dr. Madhu Soni, and the Neurology faculty and residents at Rush University Medical Center. Their passion for neurology and dedication to teaching inspires me to work hard to make the clerkship a wonderful educational experience for our students. Why the Recipients Were Chosen: The two coordinators chosen serve an essential function in medical student education. They are being recognized for their dedication, creativity, and innovation in their role which is crucial in ensuring the future of Neurology.
CLERKSHIP DIRECTOR TEACHING AWARD Recipient:  Rachel Marie E. Salas, MD, FAAN Baltimore, MD Thank You Statement: It’s an honor to be recognized among the educators in neurology and a privilege to collaborate and work with other peers and trainees within the AAN. I mainly want to thank Dr. Charlene Gamaldo for her mentorship and Dr. Justin McArthur for his leadership and support. I am also thankful to be so supported by the educational leaders at Johns Hopkins as well. Lastly, I want to thank my family for all their support and love. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Salas is a dedicated educator who devotes considerable time and energy to her role. She has dedicated herself to neurology education and to creating not only future generations of neurologists but also teaching neurology to students choosing other disciplines.
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COMMITMENT TO CURES AWARD Sponsored by the American Brain Foundation.
Recipient: DeMaurice Smith, Executive Director, NFL Players Association, Washington, DC Thank You Statement: I am grateful to the American Brain Foundation for this honor and I am thrilled to accept it on behalf of all of our player leadership, staff and everyone who has worked tirelessly and relentlessly in the pursuit of improving the lives of athletes everywhere. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: For his leadership in promoting research in athlete brain health and concussion protocols in professional football.
GEORGE C. COTZIAS LECTURE Recipient: Tallie Z. Baram, MD, PhD University of CA-Irvine, Irvine, CA
AWARDS
Title: How Early- Life Experiences Sculpt Your Brain: From Molecules to Circuits
DREIFUSS-PENRY EPILEPSY AWARD
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by members of the American Academy of Neurology Epilepsy Section; Abbott Laboratories, Inc.; Cephalon, Inc.; Cyberonics, Inc.; Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline; Novartis Neuroscience; Ortho-McNeil Neurologics; Pfizer Inc; Shire US, Inc; and UCB Pharma.
Recipient:  Kathryn A. Davis, MD, MS, FAES Thank You Statement: I would like to thank my dedicated mentors, Drs. John Detre, Brian Litt, Frances Jensen, Hal Blumenfeld, and Ravinder Reddy. I thank my trainees and colleagues for their hard work and passion, and our patients for their dedication.
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: We are very pleased to announce the selection of Kathyn Admakiak Davis, M.D., M.S.T.R. for the Dreifuss-Penry Epilepsy Award. Dr. Davis obtained her medical degree from Yale University. Thereafter, all of her subsequent training and experience has been at the University of Pennsylvania where she is an assistant professor in the department of neurology. Her academic career has been utilized the tools of invasive neurophysiology and neuroimaging to better localize epileptic networks in patients with medically-refractory epilepsy. She has authored 40 papers, demonstrating significant and focused contributions to the field and she is also the recipient of a K23 award.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS JOHN DYSTEL PRIZE FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS RESEARCH
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and National Multiple Sclerosis Society and made possible through a special contribution from the John Dystel Multiple Sclerosis Research Fund at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Recipient: Frederik Barkhof, MD, Phd Thank You Statement: My work was inspired by Ian McDonald, Donald Paty, Jacob Valk and Otto Hommes. I am indebted to many collaborators including David Miller, Henry McFarland, Chris Polman and Alan Thompson and the MAGNIMS network. I am grateful to all my PhD students and current colleagues in Amsterdam and London. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Barkhof’s work has played a pivotal role in establishing the role of magnetic resonance imaging in all aspects of multiple sclerosis including diagnosis, treatment response, and disease progression. His many seminal contributions include the establishment of MRI diagnostic criteria, the recognition of cortical lesions, the importance of spinal cord imaging as well as key insights into the pathological changes underlying MRI signals. It is hard to overstate the tremendous impact that Dr. Barkhof’s insights have had and will continue to have in advancing multiple sclerosis clinical translational research. He epitomizes the qualities the Dystel Prize is intended to recognize, namely work that has influenced the way we think about multiple sclerosis.
SHEILA ESSEY AWARD: AN AWARD FOR ALS RESEARCH
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, the American Brain Foundation and the ALS Association and supported through the philanthropy of the Essey Family and the ALS Association.
Recipient: Timothy M. Miller, MD, PhD Thank You Statement: I have been privileged to work with outstanding mentors throughout my career. I am extremely grateful to my PhD Mentor, Dr. Eugene Johnson, Neuromuscular Fellowship Mentor, Dr. Richard Olney, Postdoctoral Research Mentor, Dr. Don Cleveland, and Clinical Research Mentor, Dr. Merit Cudkowicz. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Timothy Miller receives the Sheila Essey Award for his pioneering work in bringing antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutics in ALS forward from the laboratory to the clinic. Dr. Miller is a physician-scientist who played key roles in testing ASO’s targeting SOD1 in ALS transgenic mice, studying the pharmacodynamics of ASOs in non-human primates, and performing the first-in-man trial of ASOs targeting SOD1 in SOD1-mutant patients. The work in ALS has been critical in bringing the whole field of ASO therapeutics forward in human neurogenetic diseases. Dr. Miller is also working on SOD1 protein kinetics, natural history of C9orf72-related ALS, and the role of micro-RNAs in ALS.
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
FRANK A. RUBINO AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN CLINICAL NEUROLOGY TEACHING
The award is funded by an endowment created by matching funds from the Mayo Clinic Frank A. Rubino fund.
Recipient: Barbara S. Giesser, MD, FAAN, Los Angeles, CA Thank You Statement: Recognition from peers is an honor and a privilege. Receiving this recognition for doing what you love is sheer joy. I am indebted to Dr. Alon Avidan for crafting a most elegant nomination on my behalf, and I am profoundly grateful to the AAN for honoring me in this fashion.
NORMAN GESCHWIND PRIZE IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROLOGY Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed through Dr. Geschwind’s family, friends, and colleagues; Pfizer Inc; and the Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology.
Recipient: Zachary A. Miller, MD
AWARDS
Thank You Statement: None of this would have been possible without the generosity of our patients and their dedication to research, the guidance and support of Drs. Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini and Bruce Miller of the UCSF Memory and Aging Center, and of course my friends and family who always believed in me. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Miller was selected as the 2018 recipient of the Normal Geschwind Prize in Behavioral Neurology as a result of his excellence in research that extends the work started by Professor Geschwind. Dr Miller’s accomplishments suggest he has a bright future in the field.
WAYNE A. HENING SLEEP MEDICINE INVESTIGATOR AWARD Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by UCB, Inc., Lilly USA, Elite Home Medical & Respiratory, Inc., Raleigh Neurology Associates, and friends of Dr. Wayne A. Hening.
Recipient: Yo-El Ju, MD, MSCI Thank You Statement: I am grateful to Brian Sommerville, neurologist and husband, for supporting and challenging me to pursue interesting questions. I thank my mentor David Holtzman, for sparking my interest in this research topic and continuing support. I am indebted to many colleagues: Brendan Lucey, John Zempel, Sharon Ooms, and many others. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Ju is a highly creative researcher with a significant track record evaluating the mechanism of sleep disorders in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. She has conducted novel research highlighting the mechanism of sleep disruption in Alzheimer’s disease, particularly identifying that disruption of slow wave sleep selectively increases CSF A?. Her innovative skills as an exemplary young sleep investigator fulfils the mission bestowed by this Award.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology. Recipients:
Dr. Zemen Tadesse Abu, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Thank You Statement: I would like to thank you the AAN for giving me this opportunity. I also would like to thank my mentors, Dr. Vineeta Singh and Dr. Yared Mamushet, who encouraged and helped me present my cases.
Dr. Vafa Alakbarzade, Plymouth, United Kingdom Thank You Statement: I am sincerely grateful to my supervisors who provided invaluable guidance throughout my project. It would have been impossible without encouragement and support of my mother.
Dr. Fabiola De Marchi, Novara, Italy Thank You Statement: I’m grateful for the opportunity that you are offering to me. I want to thank my mentor Dr. Letizia Mazzini for the support and for inspiring me in clinical and research activities.
Dr. Federico Eberbach, Buenos Aires, Argentina Thank You Statement: Thanks to my collaborators Dr. Bruno and Dr. Chavez for making this study possible. To my mentor and co-author, Dr. Sebastian Ameriso, for his supervision in each step of the work. Finally I want to thank my family and especially my parents, for their constant support and confidence in me.
Dr. Arunmozhimaran Elavarasi, New Delhi, India Thank You Statement: The success of this study is a result of the work of my mentor, guides and teachers and colleagues. To my family and friends who were there with me during the course of my life at AIIMS, New Delhi Thank you!!!
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Dr. Nada Abdelhameed Elsaid, Mansoura, Egypt Thank You Statement: It is an honor to be recognized by the AAN for the International Scholarship Award. I am really excited to gain this enormous experience. Thank you so much.
Dr. Clare Angeli Enriquez, Manila, Phillipines Thank You Statement: I am eternally grateful to my family and loved ones, who inspire me to be the best that I can be. To my consultants, who spent their time and efforts to guide me in my training. And lastly to my patients—the greatest teachers I have ever had.
Dr. Kaushik Gowthaman, Chennai, India
AWARDS
Thank You Statement: It is a great honor for me to receive this International Scholarship Award from AAN. My gratitude to all my mentors, professors and colleagues of Madras Institute of Neurology and to my family for their support.
Dr. Chiseko Ikenaga, Tokyo, Japan Thank You Statement: I am grateful to the AAN for selecting me as a recipient of this award. Without support from my mentors and family, I could not have performed the work. With gratitude for the AAN and them, I would like to make further efforts for the progress of the research.
Dr. Mariano Marrodan, Buenos Aires, Argentina Thank You Statement: Thanks to my wife, my family, friends and co-authors, without whom the success of this work would not have been possible. Especially my mentors and co-authors, Dr. Sebastian Ameriso and Dr. Jorge Correale, for their trust, support and permanent teaching from the first moment of my training.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS Dr. Sankaranarayanan Muthukani, Tamilnadu, India Thank You Statement: I would like to immensely thank Prof. Kameshwar Prasad, Prof. Ajay Garg, Dr. Leve Joseph Devarajan, Dr. Parthiban and my wife Dr. Poornima for their constant support throughout the study and Prof. M.B.Singh for motivating me . I am indebted to my mentors Prof.R.Lakshmi Narasimhan and Prof. S.Meenakshi-Sundaram, Madurai.
Dr. Divya M. Radhakrishnan, New Delhi, India Thank You Statement: I am thankful to God, teachers, friends and my family for being my pillars of strength. I owe my gratitude to my mentors at AIIMSNew Delhi for their unwavering support and guidance.
Dr. Gerard Raimon M. Saranza, Manila, Phillipines Thank You Statement: The International Scholarship Award has made my dream of attending the AAN Annual Meeting a reality. It has also given me the opportunity to present our genetic study on X-linked Dystonia Parkinsonism (DYT3), with the hope of raising awareness on an international platform the need for further studies and support for this neurodegenerative disorder endemic to the Philippines.
Dr. Elison Sarapura, Lima, Peru Thank You Statement: The success of this work is due tosupport of Neurogenetics Research Center team at Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurologicas, Lima, Peru. To my mentor and co-author Dr. Mario Cornejo-Olivas, for your constant support and advice that allow me to improve day to day.
Dr. Marianna Spatola, Barcelona, Spain Thank You Statement: I thank my mentor, Josep Dalmau, for guiding me in this challenging project, Myrna Rosenfeld, for her constructive criticism and help, and my colleagues for their loving support. A great thanks to the Academy for giving me the opportunity to present my work at such a renowned international meeting.
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
Dr. Irina Sharinova, Moscow, Russia Thank You Statement: I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the American Academy of Neurology for the opportunity to present my research at the AAN Annual Meeting 2018. My deep appreciation also goes to my mentors and co-authors Prof. Shevelev and Kalenova MD, PhD, my colleagues and my dearest family.
Dr. Chen-chen Tan, Qingdao, China Thank You Statement: I would like to acknowledge with deep gratitude the assistance and guidance given to me by my tutor Professor Lan Tan and Professor JinTai Yu. I wish to take this opportunity to thank my family, friends and colleagues.
Dr. Joseph Kamtchum Tatuene, Blantyre, Malawi
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Thank You Statement: I am grateful for this wonderful occasion to interact with the vibrant AAN community. I hope it will pave the way for new, strong, and lifelong friendships and collaborations. I thank the Lord, my family, my colleagues and friends, and my mentors their amazing support.
Dr. Jiangtao Zhang, Beijing, China Thank You Statement: Thank the AAN and I am so honored to win the prestigious International Scholarship Award. I would like to acknowledge my mentors, Pro. Yicheng Zhu and Jun Ni, for the unwavering support and encouragement, both in scientific career and in life. Many researchers and participants contributed to our Shunyi study, and I will always appreciate that. This work would not be successful without my family and friends.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS Dr. Susanna M. Zuurbier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Thank You Statement: I am sincerely honored to have been selected as the recipient of the Fellow Scholarship for the AAN Meeting. I would like to thank my colleagues from Amsterdam, and all collaborators of our International Cerebral Venous Thrombosis Consortium.
Why the Recipients Were Chosen: The International Subcommittee is responsible for evaluating the applicants for the International Scholarship Award. The objective of the award is to provide eligible international candidates the opportunity to attend and participate in the Annual Meeting by providing up to $2,500 in reimbursement toward expenses. The awards are given to citizens of a nation outside the US and Canada who are 36 years of age or younger (unless a reasonable case can be made for why someone older should still be considered). Twenty total awards are distributed, five are given based on the quality of abstract submitted, and 10 awards are given based on quality of abstract as well as other criteria such as personal need and country of origin, with emphasis given to applicants from developing countries. This year we received 61 eligible applicants from around the world.
MITCHELL B. MAX AWARD FOR NEUROPATHIC PAIN
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by the United States Cancer Pain Relief Committee, the Mayday Fund, and friends of Dr. Mitchell Max.
Recipient: David M. Simpson, MD, FAAN
Thank You Statement: I would like to thank my Neurology Chairs at Cornell, Fred Plum and Jerome Posner; mentors at Harvard Medical School Clinical Neurophysiology Labs, Robert Young and Baghwan Shahani; colleagues in neuropathic pain including Robert Dworkin and Justin McArthur.
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Simpson’s pioneering research and clinical work in the area of neuropathic pain has led to much needed therapeutic options for patients with neuropathy. We honor him for his invaluable contribution to neuroscience.
LAWRENCE C. MCHENRY AWARD: AN AWARD FOR THE HISTORY OF NEUROLOGY Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipient: Bart TH Lutters, BSc Thank You Statement: I am very honored with this award. I am passionate about the history of the neurosciences and it feels great that my efforts in this area are appreciated by the international neurological community.
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Lutters’ historical scholarship marks and commemorates the 100th year of the description of encephalitis lethargica by Dr. Constantin von Economo. Through this work, Dr. Lutters’ commemorates Dr. von Economo’s role in correlating
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neurologic symptoms to structure. The story is concisely and crisply written, demonstrating a clear progression of neurologic thought over the 19th and 20th centuries that was driven by descriptions of this mysterious illness, paving the way for the neuroanatomic localization of arousal, parkinsonism, and psychiatric behaviors.
MEDICAL STUDENT ESSAY AWARD - EXTENDED NEUROSCIENCE AWARD
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology. Award not given for 2018
MEDICAL STUDENT ESSAY AWARD - G. MILTON SHY AWARD Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipient: Benjamin D. Wissel
Thank You Statement: I thank Dr. Alberto Espay for his research mentorship and the neurologists across nine centers worldwide who came together for this project. Lastly, I am thankful to the patients whose data were included in this study. May their legacy benefit others who will fill their shoes in the future.
AWARDS
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Mr. Wissell submitted a very strong paper investigating the features of Parkinson’s disease that associate with functional neurological findings. The essay identified many correlates in patients with PD and coexisting functional neurological disorders, including higher levels of dyskinesia, depression/anxiety, and levodopa equivalent. The study also suggested that preexisting psychiatric disorders and family history of PD were more prevalent in these patients. The experimental approach and data analyses were excellent, and thus overall, the paper was a worthy recipient of the G. Milton Shy Award.
MEDICAL STUDENT ESSAY AWARD - ROLAND P. MACKAY AWARD Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipient: Yi Tong Thank You Statement: I thank Dr. Chenjie Xia for her continued mentorship and support.
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Ms. Tong’s essay provided an outstanding historical perspective on the concept of brain death through time. The essay was very well written and full of many details from a broad array of references, making it an ideal choice for the Roland P. Mackay award.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS MEDICAL STUDENT ESSAY AWARD - SAUL R. KOREY AWARD Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipient: Kirsten Martin Thank You Statement: Dr. Gleeson, MD, and Dr. Gregor, PhD gave me a unique opportunity to contribute to a gene discovery project and provided insight into performing clinical research. Having supportive and ambitious mentors enhanced to my learning and enjoyment of the project and increased my interest in incorporating research into my future career. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Ms. Martin submitted an interesting project investigating the phenotype and genotype correlation for pediatric structural brain defects. The study utilized a population sample of over 2,200 consanguineous partnerships and identified novel genes that demonstrated phenotypic similarity in subjects with these neurodevelopment defects.The essay was well written and deserving of the Saul R. Korey Award.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS RESEARCH AWARD
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, the Parkinson’s Foundation, and the American Academy of Neurology Movement Disorders Section and endowed by the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Recipient: Irene Litvan, MD, FAAN Thank You Statement: There have been many colleagues who have influenced and advised me throughout my career, but I would like to acknowledge in particular Prof. Yves Agid, from the Salpetriere, France and Jordan Grafman, from Northwestern University, who bolstered my creativity and collaborated with me at the beginning of my research career. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Litvan has a long and distinguished academic career in movement disorders research. She contributed to the clinical and pathological characterization of atypical parkinsonisms, particularly disorders featuring aggregation of tau or alpha-synuclein, including progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal ganglionic degeneration (CBD), Pick’s disease and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Dr. Litvan has also contributed to the experimental therapeutics of these disorders, especially PSP and provided international leadership in shaping the field.
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
NEURO-ONCOLOGY INVESTIGATOR AWARD
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and supported by friends of Dr. Jerome Posner.
Recipient:  Milan G. Chheda, MD Thank You Statement: Michael Diamond and Jeremy Rich are close collaborators. I received superb scientific training from William Hahn, Ingo Mellinghoff, and David Sabatini. Tracy Batchelor, Patrick Wen, and Lisa DeAngelis were models throughout my training for their excellence in clinical investigation and their compassionate care of patients. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Chheda was chosen among an esteemed group of candidates in recognition of his laboratory work on how glioma stem cells resist therapy and contribute to tumor growth, his recent discoveries with regard to Zika virus and its potential to target glioblastoma propagating cells, and most importantly for his potential as a young investigator who will continue to make contributions that advance the understanding of glioblastoma biology and improve treatment options for patients as he transitions from an early-stage to advanced-stage physician scientist
AWARDS
NEURO-ONCOLOGY SCIENTIFIC AWARD
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and supported by friends of Dr. WK Alfred Yung.
Recipient:  Scott R. Plotkin, MD, PhD Thank You Statement: I am deeply indebted to the caring mentors who have guided me throughout my career, including Drs. Abba Kastin, Bill Banks, Mia MacCollin, and Tracy Batchelor. I have also benefited from the unwavering support of my Chiefs, Drs. Anne Young and Merit Cudkowicz. Finally, a heartfelt thanks to my neuro-oncology colleagues. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: A senior clinician investigator widely recognized for expertise in neurofibromatoses and related syndromes, Dr. Plotkin is dedicated to understanding the way in which typically syndromic and rare tumors symptomatically affect patients, and by collaborating with laboratory scientists to design and conduct clinical trials of novel therapies aimed at improving neurologic function. This has included seminal findings with regard to improvement in hearing among patients with NF2 and vestibular schwannomas following treatment with bevacizumab.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS NEUROLOGY® RESIDENT & FELLOW SECTION WRITING AWARD Recipients:
Sheena Chew, MD,
Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Ivana Vodopivec, MD, PhD
Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Aaron L. Berkowitz, MD, PhD
Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Thank You Statement for all Recipients: We are truly honored to receive the 2018 Neurology® Resident & Fellow Writing Award, which serves as a reminder of how privileged we are to learn and teach neurology through interactions with our patients. Why the Recipients Were Chosen: The award winning Clinical Reasoning’ paper by is the report of a case of Stiff Person Syndrome with anti-GAD antibodies. The authors skillfully utilized the unique, Clinical Reasoning’ format to emphasize the differential diagnosis and challenge the reader to consider the physical exam and diagnostic testing options at every step of the evaluation.
NEUROENDOCRINE RESEARCH AWARD
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and supported by friends of Dr. Andrew Herzog.
Recipient: Ellen Mowry, MD, FAAN Thank You Statement: I am extremely grateful to my mentors, many of whom are AAN members, for their dedication to me and hope that I can do the same for trainees so as to pave the way for more breakthroughs for people with MS.
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: The cause of multiple sclerosis (MS) is unknown. For some time, it has been known that people with low levels of vitamin D are at highest risk for MS. Dr. Mowry has paved the way for determining why low vitamin D might contribute to the immune activation that is seen in MS, as well as determining whether vitamin D supplementation, and at what level, can be therapeutic in people with MS by preventing relapses. She has continued her exploration of how metabolic dysregulation, strongly related to neuroendocrine function, influences the disease and is conducting pilot trials to intervene upon the metabolism to assess the possibility of improving outcomes for this patient population.
NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH PRIZE Funded by the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipients:  Alex Remnitz Thank You Statement: I would like to thank my mentors, Dr. Grosell and Dr. Heuer from RSMAS at UM, who allowed me to create my own project and provided me with all of the help, support, encouragement, and materials I needed to do so. I am grateful for the experience they offered me.
AWARDS
Jackie Stochel Thank You Statement: I would like everyone who contributed to my project! I could not conduct amazing research without my amazing mentors (Dr. Patric Stanton and Dr. Linnea Vose). I am also so grateful to my research teachers (Mr. Michael Blueglass, Ms. Rachel Koenigstein, and Mr. Dominic Guazzo) for their guidance and dedication.
Sarah Hoffman Thank You Statement: My mentor, Dr. Norris, my lab head, Dr. Strickland, and all members of my lab welcomed me into their neurobiology laboratory and aided me in research design and execution. My research teachers, Mr. Piccirillo and Ms. Holmes, and my family and friends supported and encouraged me through the scientific process. Why the Recipients Were Chosen: Our committee had a spirited discussion after detailed reading and analysis of our submissions. This year’s Neuroscience Research Prize winners have produced outstanding scientific work, especially for their age. These young students demonstrated amazing intellectual curiosity and depth of knowledge. We are fortunate to have them share their research with us and hopeful that this will mark the beginning of a long and dedicated career in the neurosciences.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS CHILD NEUROLOGY NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH PRIZE
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society.
Amy Shteyman Thank You Statement: I would like to thank my mentor Dr. Joy Hirsch at Yale University’s Brain Function Laboratory, the members of the Brain Function Laboratory, Mr. Schorn and Ms. Schust my high school science research teachers for helping me with my project, and my family.
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Our committee had a spirited discussion after detailed reading and analysis of our submissions. This year’s Neuroscience Research Prize winners have produced outstanding scientific work, especially for their age. These young students demonstrated amazing intellectual curiosity and depth of knowledge. We are fortunate to have them share their research with us and hopeful that this will mark the beginning of a long and dedicated career in the neurosciences.
MICHAEL S. PESSIN STROKE LEADERSHIP PRIZE
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by Dr. Pessin’s family, friends, and colleagues.
Recipient: Glen Jickling, MD, MSc, FRCP(C) Thank You Statement: Thank you to Dr Frank Sharp for his mentorship and guidance in my career.
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Jickling’s research exemplifies the best of clinical and translational stroke research: innovative, cutting edge, patient-oriented, and mechanistically sound. His work on developing state-of-the-art biomarkers for stroke diagnosis, etiology, and prognosis has the potential to transform practice and improve stroke care. Even at this relatively early stage in his career, he has also served as a mentor to many trainees.
PUBLIC LEADERSHIP IN NEUROLOGY AWARD Sponsored by the American Brain Foundation.
Recipient: Temple Grandin, Ph.D., Fort Collins, CO Thank You Statement: I am honored to receive the Public Leadership in Neurology Award from the American Brain Foundation. It is paramount that the skills that people with autism bring to the table be nurtured for their benefit and society’s. Some people with autism have exceptional skills in math, art or music.
Why The Recipient Was Chosen: For her leadership and advocacy for autistic people. She is one of the first individuals on the autism spectrum to publicly share insights from her personal experience of autism.
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
MRIDHA SPIRIT OF NEUROLOGY HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Sponsored by the American Brain Foundation and funded through the philanthropy of Dr. and Mrs. Mridha.
Aaron L. Berkowitz, MD, PhD Boston, MA Thank You Statement: I am honored to receive this award, and grateful to the American Brain Foundation and Dr. Mridha for creating this new award. I am grateful to my extraordinary colleagues in Haiti at Partners In Health/Zanmi Lasante, whom I have worked with and learned from for the past five years in our efforts to develop neurologic care and education in rural Haiti. Why The Recipient Was Chosen: Recognized for his humanitarian work to develop neurological care and education in rural Haiti.
PRESIDENTIAL LECTURE Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD Director of National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
AWARDS
Title: California Dreaming: BRAIN and Precision Medicine in 2018
POTAMKIN PRIZE FOR RESEARCH IN PICK’S, ALZHEIMER’S, AND RELATED DISEASES
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Brain Foundation and funded through the philanthropy of the Potamkin family.
Recipient: David A. Bennett, MD Thank You Statement: I thank my research mentor, Denis Evans, the entire Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, and my colleagues Bob Wilson, Julie Schneider, and Phil DeJager. Most importantly, I thank Stacy Powell-Bennett, my best friend and wife, without whose support, encouragement, counsel, understanding, patience and love, this would not be possible. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. David Bennett, MD, is a neurologist at Rush who leads their Alzheimer Center as well as major epidemiological studies into causes of dementia. His multidisciplinary team has been one of the leaders of understanding what causes dementia, studying a population of elderly individuals in Chicago and dissecting what part is Alzheimer’s, what part is stroke, what part is depression, and so forth. He has assembled a great team for these studies and has also collected biosamples and, ultimately, autopsies to inform genetics and other -omics studies, both at Rush and, by sharing of specimens and data, by scientists around the world. It’s made a huge impact – both because the work is fantastic, and because the culture of sharing information has such a spectacularly positive impact.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS PROGRAM COORDINATOR RECOGNITION AWARD Recipients:
Silviya H. M. Eaton, MBA, MA, C-TAGME, Boston, MA Thank You Statement: I would like to thank the Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School Neurology Residency leadership for their inspiration and support: Drs. Cho, Prasad, and Milligan; department chairs: Drs. Cudkowicz and Samuels; directors: Ms. Kotarski and Mr. Lynch; our fellows, residents, and program directors; my fellow administrators (especially, Ms. Armstrong); the AAN (specifically, Ms. Jacques and Ms. Persaud); Ms. Sagar, and my family.
Frances Clark, BS, C-TAGME, Dayton, OH Thank You Statement: I am honored to be a recipient of the American Academy of Neurology Program Coordinator Recognition Award. I am deeply grateful for the residents and all involved in our program at the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. They have allowed me the opportunity to make a difference.
PROGRAM DIRECTOR RECOGNITION AWARD Recipients:
Lyell K. Jones Jr, MD, FAAN, Rochester, MN Thank You Statement: Working with the neurology residents at the Mayo Clinic has been the singular honor of my career. I am grateful to them, our faculty, and my friends and colleagues at the AAN who make our academic mission possible.
Raymond Price, MD, Philadelphia, PA Thank You Statement: I am extremely honored to receive the 2018 AAN Program Director Recognition Award. When I chose a career in neurology, my goal was to be a neurology residency program director. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have this position and participate in the training of so many outstanding neurologists.
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD Funded by the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipient: Aasef Shaikh, PhD, MD, Case Western Reserve University
AWARDS
Thank You Statement: The topic of the current proposal, investigation of motion perception function in Parkinson’s disease is critical and timely. This project is special as it combines two cutting edge and unique technologies. One is the study of motion perception and effect of electrical neuromodulation (deep brain stimulation) using one of the world’s best motion delivery systems with six degrees of freedom. Second is the opportunity to apply the state-of-art, quantitative tissue activation computational models to understand effects of deep brain stimulation on motion perception. My previous research training allowed me to achieve expertise in the neurophysiology of balance. The proposed project and the American Academy of Neurology Career Development Award will provide a chance to learn the theoretical aspects of neural engineering and computational neuroscience of deep brain stimulation. At the end of this specialized training I will develop a unique niche expertise in vestibular and eye movement function, the interaction of deep brain stimulation with vestibular and balance mechanisms, as well neural engineering and computational neuroscience to understand function implications of electrical tissue activation with deep brain stimulation. I feel honored and fortunate to get selected for this prestigious research funding.
CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP (FORMERLY FELLOWSHIP) Funded by the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipients: Christopher Benjamin, PhD, Yale New Haven Medical Center Thank You Statement: I’m extremely grateful to the AAN for this award! Without this award and my mentor Lawrence Hirsch, MD, I simply could not complete this work, which is vital for our field. Patients who have epilepsy want to stop their seizures, and neurosurgery offers great hope for a cure but also anxiety about risks. My goal is to give our patients simple statements about the risks and benefits of surgery, so that they can understand what their life is likely to look like after surgery and make well-informed decisions about their care. This award will bring me closer to that goal.
Matthew Bevers, PhD, MD, Brigham Women’s Hospital/ Harvard University Thank You Statement: It is a great honor to receive the AAN Clinical Research Training Scholarship. The AAN has a long tradition of supporting new investigators, and many of the doctors and scientists I admire were supported by the AAN early in their careers. It feels wonderful to be able to follow in their footsteps. I truly believe that this award will kick-start my research and allow us to move towards improving the lives of survivors of stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS Peter Kang, MD, Washington University Thank You Statement: It is a true honor and privilege to be a recipient of the American Academy of Neurology and American Brain Foundation Clinical Research Training Scholarship. This award will allow me to continue my work and further my development as a junior clinical investigator. I am grateful for this opportunity and thank all the donors for funding this important program.
CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP IN ALS Funded by the American Brain Foundation and the ALS Association.
Recipient:  Peter Creigh, MD, University of Rochester Thank You Statement: I am grateful and honored to receive this award from The ALS Association, American Brain Foundation and American Academy of Neurology. This award will allow me to grow as a clinician-researcher for a disease that is in desperate need for improved treatments. It will help create a role for telemedicine in ALS research, improving access to research participation. I am excited and feel fortunate to help patients and families affected by this devastating disease.
CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP IN DEMENTIA WITH LEWY BODIES Funded by the American Brain Foundation, and The Mary E. Groff Charitable Trust.
Recipient:  Bhavana Patel, MD, University of Florida College of Medicine Thank You Statement: It is a great honor to be the recipient of this award. I have aspired to be a clinical researcher with the commitment of making a difference in the lives of my patients and in the population affected by neurodegenerative diseases. Early in my training, after developing an interest in movement disorders, I quickly learned about the limited knowledge that exists in clinical care access and outcomes in patients with DLB. I believe in order to improve care, we must first identify the current state of affairs. This study was developed to serve that purpose. This award will broaden our knowledge in the care of patients with DLB and be an avenue for future strategies to improve access and outcomes.
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Supported by Genzyme and the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipient: Giulia Fadda, MD, University of Pennsylvania Thank You Statement: I am extremely honored and proud to have been selected as a recipient of such a prestigious award. This support fosters my motivation in pursuing a career bridging clinical neurology and research as I am committed to make the best use of this great opportunity.
CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP IN MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY
Funded by the American Brain Foundation and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Recipient: Katharine Nicholson, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham, Harvard
AWARDS
Thank You Statement: I am honored to receive the AAN Clinical Training Scholarship in Muscular Dystrophy for my project investigating the ‚“Early Markers of Disease in C9ORF72 ALS.”I strongly believe we are on the horizon of advancing our understanding of genetically-mediated ALS. I view my work as a partnership with patients and families affected by inherited forms of ALS, and am grateful for their support and generosity with research participation. I sincerely thank my mentors — Dr. Merit Cudkowicz, Dr. James Berry, Dr. Nazem Atassi, Dr. Timothy Miller, and Dr. Leonard Petrucelli— whose support has fostered my early clinical research career in familial ALS and continues to inspire me every day.
CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP IN NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASE Funded by the American Brain Foundation, and the Muscle Study Group.
Recipient: Davut Pehlivan, MD, Baylor College of Medicine Thank You Statement: I am extremely humbled to receive this award; this is my first competitive AAN award/grant. As a junior physician scientist early in my career, this award will allow me to obtain preliminary data and apply for a larger NINDS/NIH grant. I believe this funding will have a significant impact on my research career.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE
Supported by Lundbeck in collaboration with the American Academy of Neurrology.
Recipient: Krithi Irmady, MD, PhD, Rockefeller University Thank You Statement: I am grateful to the AAN for awarding me with the Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Parkinson’s disease. This award provides crucial support and encouragement in my early career as a physician scientist. I am immensely appreciative of my research mentor Dr. Robert Darnell and the Rockefeller University Scholar’s program leadership Dr. Barry Coller and Dr. Sarah Schlesinger. I would also like to thank Dr. Un Kang, Dr. Stanley Fahn and Dr. Oren Levy at Columbia University Medical Center for their strong clinical mentorship. I am hopeful that with the support provided by the AAN, I can make meaningful progress in advancing our knowledge of Parkinson’s disease, which can potentially translate into the development of new treatments.
CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP IN TOURETTE SYNDROME Funded by the American Brain Foundation and the Tourette Association of America.
Recipient: Wissam Georges Deeb, MD, University of Florida College of Medicine Thank You Statement: I finished my medical studies in Lebanon and decided to the come to the United States for a better opportunity to learn and train in neurology. The movement disorders fellowship at the University of Florida taught me the importance of patient-centered interdisciplinary care. This comprehensive patient care model relies on excellent clinical skills and on advancing knowledge through research. Through this experience, I got to appreciate the importance of the clinician-researcher in improving the current and the future care of patients with neurologic conditions. I feel quite honored to receive this award from the American Academy of Neurology. It will provide me with the needed monetary and time support to develop my clinician-research career in Tourette syndrome. This award will afford me, a junior faculty and recent graduate from fellowship, the opportunity for mentorship and training needed to become an independent investigator.
NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP Funded by the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipients: Marianna Spatola, MD, Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard Thank You Statement: It is a privilege and honor to receive the Neuroscience Research Training Scholarship from the American Academy of Neurology. This award represents recognition of my work that would not have been possible without the guidance of my mentors and the help and support of my colleagues, friends and family. I look forward with enthusiasm to starting this new challenging project. I want to again thank the AAN for this unique opportunity to continue my professional development as a clinician and scientist.
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
Brett McCray, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins University Thank You Statement: When I first learned that I had received the Neuroscience Research Training Scholarship award, I was excited that our work had been recognized as being important and worthwhile. I was also extremely grateful because the award will help me to dedicate the necessary time and energy required to fulfill the goals of this project. The support from the award will also help me to get the additional scientific training that I will need to eventually start my own laboratory focused on furthering the understanding and treatment of different forms of peripheral neuropathy. Andrew Findlay, MD, Washington University Thank You Statement: I am extremely honored and grateful for this prestigious opportunity provided by the AAN. My family and my amazing mentors, Tahseen Mozaffar, Kevin Flanigan, Alan Pestronk, and Chris Weihl, have been inspirational and empowering. I cannot thank them enough. I would also like to acknowledge the Neuromuscular Department at Washington University Saint Louis for their ongoing support.
AWARDS
PRACTICE RESEARCH TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP (FORMERLY FELLOWSHIP) Funded by the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipient: Archana Patel, MD, Children’s Hospital Boston Thank You Statement: I am very honored and thrilled to receive this award. My research interests have always been broadly public health based in neurological conditions, with a specific focus on improving pediatric epilepsy care for children in low resource regions—and while global health neurology has been emerging in recent years, this career path remains a fairly new and developing one. Therefore, to have this type of research funded by the AAN is something I am very excited about, not only on a personal level for this project, but for the recognition of global health neurology research in general.
SUSAN S. SPENCER CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP (FORMERLY FELLOWSHIP)
Funded by the American Brain Foundation, the American Epilepsy Society, and the Epilepsy Foundation.
Recipient: Hiroki Nariai, MD, UCLA Medical Center Thank You Statement: I feel very privileged to receive this award. My career goal is to conduct clinical research in epilepsy and advance understanding and treatment of patients with epilepsy. This award will give me precious opportunity to focus on clinical research on epilepsy as a new investigator. It is very difficult to secure time and funding for research in this era, so I really appreciate the generous support.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS CLINICIAN SCIENTIST DEVELOPMENT AWARD IN INTERVENTIONAL NEUROLOGY
Funded the American Brain Foundation and the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology.
Recipient:  Sunil A. Sheth, MD, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center Thank You Statement: Receiving the AAN/SVIN/ABF award at this early stage in my career is an absolute honor. The support and prestige that comes with this award will allow me work towards accomplishing wh at I have always wanted to do, identifying ways to improve the lives of patients suffering from stroke.
MCKNIGHT CLINICAL TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP IN COGNITIVE AGING AND AGE-RELATED MEMORY LOSS
Funded by the McKnight Brain Research Foundation through the American Brain Foundation, and the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipients: Brice McConnell, PhD, MD, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine Thank You Statement: I am delighted and very honored to have been selected for this award.
Kimberly Albert, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Thank You Statement: I am very honored and excited to receive this award. I look forward to the interesting work this award will support in developing remote cognitive assessment strategies and a better understanding of the role of attention in memory complaints associated with aging.
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
SAFETY AND QUALITY AWARD
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology.
Recipient: Lily Grossmann, MD, Boston, MA Thank You Statement: Thank you for recognizing the work of the interdisciplinary Neurology team at Boston Children’s Hospital in their efforts to improve both patient and parent experience of undergoing multiple diagnostic evaluations by coordinating sedation for MRI and lumbar puncture. We will continue to strive for high-quality, patient-centered care. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Grossmann, is being recognized for her work to improve patient experience for children requiring a lumbar puncture (LP) and MRI for evaluation of their pediatric neurological condition. Through a partnership of the neurology and anesthesia departments, a protocol was developed for continuous anesthesia for MRI and LP tests to be done sequentially. Over the course of the project, the protocol was found to be feasible, costeffective, safe, and less burdensome for patients and their families.
Recipient: Yi Li, MD, PhD, Worcester, MA
AWARDS
Thank You Statement: Thank you for recognizing our work of ultrasound guided lumbar puncture, with the aim to decrease the discomfort of the patients and to improve the success rate. We are grateful to all the patients, neurology residents and faculty who are involved in this patient-centered project in University of Massachusetts Medical School. It is a great pleasure to contribute to improvements in patient comfort and safety, and we look forward to continuing to do so. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr.Li, PhD, is being recognized for her project implementing an ultrasound guided lumbar puncture learning module for neurology residents that includes a 1-hour didactic presentation with a 30-minute practice session. Residents that have completed the module have shown to have a higher success rate, shorter procedure duration, and lower complaints of pain.
Recipient: Michael Robers, MD, Phoenix, AZ Thank You Statement: Thank you to the AAN for recognizing our efforts to improve the time it takes to respond to results of send out laboratory results. We intend to use the positive results and response to our project to spur even more improvement in this area. We would like to also thank the faculty and mentors at Barrow Neurological Institute who continue to support resident driven interventions to continuously improve our patient care. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Robers is accepting on behalf of the senior members of his resident class at Barrow Neurological Institute. Their efforts to improve physician acknowledgement of lab results in a timely manner were successful. By leveraging the electronic medical record, physician response rate went from 36% to 93% and the average time between a reported result and physician acknowledgement went down by 66%.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS Recipient: Mauricio Villamar, MD, Lexington, KY Thank You Statement: Optimizing the timely identification and treatment of patients with status epilepticus can have a critical impact on their outcomes. Thank you to the University of Kentucky Department of Neurology, and particularly to Dr. Meriem Bensalem-Owen, for their ongoing support of my research and for constantly striving to provide exceptional patient care. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Villamar is being recognized for his work on improving the rapid identification and treatment of patients with status epilepticus (SE). A novel SE alert protocol resulted in rapid notification of key team members including the general neurology resident, the pharmacist, the neurointensivist on call, as well as the rapid response team.
IRWIN SCHATZ AWARD FOR AUTONOMIC DISORDERS
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by Lundbeck, Inc.
Recipient: David S. Goldstein, MD, PhD Thank You Statement: Irwin J. (Irv) Kopin was my scientific father. Courtney Holmes ran our catecholamine lab for more than a quarter century and unerringly pointed me to the truth. Patients are a key scientific resource, and I remember and especially acknowledge those who donated tissues after death, for the benefit of humanity. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Goldstein was selected based on both his lifetime achievements and contributions to the field of autonomic disorders as well as for his ongoing dedication to research and education. His curriculum vitae outlines an extraordinarily distinguished career with many unique contributions to the field. Dr. Goldstein is a true pioneer in autonomic disorders and has special expertise in clinical catecholamine neurochemistry and sympathetic neuroimaging. He has made key contributions to our understanding of autonomic failure, especially in Parkinson’s disease, multiple system atrophy, and pure autonomic failure. He has trained many specialists in the field, has lectured extensively to patients and clinicians alike and wrote a book (which he generously offer free of charge online to everyone interested, again patient or provider) to foster better understanding and better care for patients with autonomic disorders.
BRUCE S. SCHOENBERG INTERNATIONAL AWARD IN NEUROEPIDEMIOLOGY
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by GlaxoSmithKline, Inc.
Recipient: Fred Sarfo, MD, PhD Thank You Statement: Special thanks to Prof. Bruce Ovbiagele, my mentor; Prof. Opare-Sem, Prof. Richard Phillips, Prof. George Bedu-Addo, Prof. Mayowa Owolabi, Dr. Albert Akpalu, and Prof. Carolyn Jenkins. A big thank you to my wife, Maame and my son, Jason.
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Fred Sarfo’s highly promising study employing novel m-Health technology and nurse-led approaches for improvement of secondary stroke prevention benefits an understudied problem in the underserved context of Ghana, and reflects his overall impressive career trajectory of performing high-impact and public health relevant work in a resource-restricted setting. The work has the potential to transform stroke care delivery in Ghana, and more broadly in resource-limited settings, and could potentially be transformative for public health in Sub Saharan Africa.
SLEEP SCIENCE AWARD
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Academy of Neurology Sleep Section and endowed by Cephalon, Inc.
Recipient: Bradley F. Boeve, MD Thank You Statement: I thank many colleagues - particularly Dr. Michael Silber who has been my mentor in sleep medicine for the past 20+ years.
AWARDS
Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Over the last two decades Dr. Boeve has been a pioneer in the field of sleep and neurodegenerative disorders, in particular helping to confirm the link between REM sleep Behavior Disorder and alpha-synuclein pathology. The scope of his discoveries range from basic brainstem neuroanatomy to developing and validating practical tools used by clinical neurologists. Currently, his research is helping to lead the way in the development of disease modifying therapies with the ultimate goal of curing disorders such as Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Parkinson’s disease.
JON STOLK AWARD IN MOVEMENT DISORDERS FOR YOUNG INVESTIGATORS Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by Kyowa Pharmaceutical, Inc., Lineberry Research, Quintiles, Dr. Dennis Gillings, and VelaPharma.
Recipient: Nandakumar Narayanan, MD, PhD Thank You Statement: I’d like to acknowledge my perspicacious scientific and clinical mentors, particularly Dr. Ralph DiLeone (Yale), Dr. Robert Rodnitzky (Iowa), and Dr. George Richerson (Iowa). In addition, I’d like to thank my colleagues at the University of Iowa and the incredible research team we’ve built. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Narayanan’s laboratory focuses on dopamine receptors and motor timing, with the goal of understanding the brain circuitry involved in Parkinson disease-related cognitive dysfunction. In his short career, he has already made important contributions to the field that have been published in leading neuroscience journals and he has been awarded numerous grants from the National Institutes for Health and other organizations. Dr. Narayanan is a rising star in the movement disorders field and has dedicated his research and clinical efforts to tackling the pervasive challenge of cognitive decline in Parkinson disease.
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2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS H. RICHARD TYLER AWARD
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Academy of Neurology History Section
Recipient: Andrew J. Solomon, MD, Burlington, VT Thank You Statement: I am honored to receive the 2018 H. Richard Tyler Award from the American Academy of Neurology. I would like acknowledge the leadership of the AAN, and especially the late Rick Tyler, MD, Professor of Neurology emeritus at Harvard Medical School, for supporting this exceptional opportunity to access an incomparable historical collection of neurology and neuroscience materials. Why The Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Solomon was chosen to receive the 2018 H. Richard Tyler Award based on his proposal to use the texts in the collection to examine clinical descriptions of multiple sclerosis in 19th and early 20th century with an emphasis on diagnosis and differential diagnosis. He has hypothesized that studying the approach to the diagnosis of MS during this time, before the incorporation of paraclinical evidence, may still have value for current diagnosis.
KENNETH M. VISTE JR., MD, PATIENT ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by gifts from Dr. Viste’s colleagues, friends and patients.
Recipient: Oleg Chernyshev, MD, PhD T hank You Statement: It is a true honor to receive the prestigious Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., MD, Patient Advocate of the Year Award from the American Academy of Neurology. I am so grateful that life has granted me this unique, rewarding opportunity to be an effective advocate for my patients and to be a positive influence in their lives. I strongly believe that our sustained efforts can make a difference not only in individual patient health, but also in community health regardless of the political climate. So, let’s get involved, stay involved, and make difference! Why the Recipient Was Chosen: Dr. Chernyshev has demonstrated a sustained dedication and commitment to his patients and the community at large. Practicing in the heart of the US Stroke Belt, he has been the driving force behind the development of a stroke center at LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, LA. His compassion and relentless drive to be on the front lines of fighting stroke has earned him the nickname Dr. Stroke by his patients. He embodies all the selfless and genuine qualities of the Kenneth M. Viste Jr., MD, Patient Advocate of the Year.
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2018 AAN Annual Meeting On-site Guide
ROBERT WARTENBERG LECTURE Recipient: Lisa M. DeAngelis, MD, FAAN Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY Title: Neuro-oncology: How Cancer and the Nervous System Interact
HAROLD WOLFF-JOHN GRAHAM AWARD: AN AWARD FOR HEADACHE/FACIAL PAIN RESEARCH Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by Endo Pharmaceuticals.
Recipient: William R. Renthal, MD, PhD
AWARDS
Thank You Statement: I would like to acknowledge my mentors, Michael Greenberg and Clifford Woolf, for generously supporting my research and career development, my John Graham Headache Center colleagues for building an amazing environment for advancing headache medicine, and the International Headache Academy for inspiring me and the next generation of headache researchers. Why the Recipient Was Chosen: As the 2018 recipient of the Harold Wolff-John Graham Award, the committee has selected William Renthal, MD, PhD, an Instructor in the Department of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and the Director of Headache Research at the John Graham Headache Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Renthal’s abstract details an innovative area of translational research using single-cell RNA sequencing to identify unique gene expression patterns within individual trigeminal ganglion cell types, with the ultimate goal of investigating the role of these genes in CGRP+ neuronal function and migraine pathophysiology. With a new 5-year NIH K08 Career Development Award, and a resume including 27 original research articles and five reviews, Dr. Renthal is on track to make substantial contributions to the field of migraine.
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