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April 2014 | VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 7

Le er From The Editor On behalf of the Clinical Research Training (CRTF) Fellowship Alumni Associa on, I would like to invite all current and former American Brain Founda on fellowship recipients to the first CRTF Alumni Associa on Networking Event to be held at the 2014 American Academy of Neurology Annual Mee ng. As the group of ABF fellowship recipients grows (there are now 175 of us!), it becomes even more cri cal that we have the opportunity to connect with one another. Come to network with acquaintances and friends, meet the 2014 fellowship recipient class and enjoy complimentary appe zers and drinks. You are also invited to a end the American Brain Founda on Major Donor Event to be held immediately following the networking event. This is a great opportunity to meet supporters of the founda on to tell them about your research and thank them for their generosity. CRTF Alumni Associa on Networking Event Wednesday, April 30, 2014 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. American Brain Founda on Major Donor Event Wednesday, April 30, 2014 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Both events will be held at the: Na onal Cons tu on Center 525 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA An invite and instruc ons for RSVP’ing to both events was sent to you via email. If you did not receive this email, please contact Kris n Roehl, Grants Program Manager at kroehl@aan.com. 

Featured Partnerships American Brain Founda on and the Allergan Founda on Since 2012, the Allergan Founda on has pledged a total of $780,000 to support American Brain Founda on (ABF) fellowships in the neurological applica on of neurotoxins. The Founda on has funded four fellowships thus far and will enable the ABF to select two addi onal fellows in 2015. 2013 recipient, Dr. Veronica Bruno says of receiving the award: “I feel absolutely grateful and honored to receive this award which shall contribute not only to my development as a researcher in neurosci‐ence but will also allow me to work with a team of excellence with the purpose of helping pa ents with Parkinson´s disease.” 

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Michael F. Waters, MD, PhD Editor, CRTF Alumni Newsle er 2005 CRTF Recipient 

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American Brain Founda on and Teva CNS The ABF is proud to partner with Teva CNS, a generous supporter of the Clinical Research Training Fellowship program. In the last three years, Teva has provided $675,000 to support research. The generosity of Teva enables the ABF to con nue to support as many young researchers as possible. It is due to the partnership of companies like Teva that the ABF is able to con nue expanding the number of fellowships offered. For example, we have increased the number of fellowships awarded from 16 in 2012 and 2013 to 20 fellowships in 2014.

Double Your Impact! Thanks to a generous matching gi grant, all gi s to the American Brain Founda on up to 3 million dollars are being matched one‐to‐one. This means that recent gi s from the Allergan Founda on and Teva CNS are doubled resul ng in an addi onal $690,000 for research! Individual donors are also encouraged to par cipate in the matching program and any size gi qualifies for the match. To make a dona on online, simply visit the americanbrainfounda on.org and click “donate.”  

Thank You to the Fellowship Application Reviewers The American Brain Founda on (ABF) wishes to thank those who have volunteered their me as reviewers of ABF fellowship applica ons. The volume of applica ons received increases drama cally each year meaning that the support of the reviewers is more cri cal than ever. According to Dr. Aleksandar Videnovic, “As the chair of the ABF grant selec on commi ee, I con nue to be impressed by the passion and dedica on of our reviewers. They take their responsibility very seriously. We are most grateful for their exper se and me spent during the review process. Their commitment is especially important because we are determining how to distribute limited resources to a growing pool of highly qualified applicants.” We are looking for addi onal reviewers to par cipate. If you are interested, please contact Kris n Roehl at kroehl@aan.com with your field of exper se and include your CV.  A big thank you to the following reviewers who selected the 2014 American Brain Founda on fellowship recipients:  

Michael Benatar, MBChB, DPhil, FAAN David Knopman, MD, FAAN

Greg Bergey, MD, FAAN Walter Koroshetz, MD, FAAN

David Beversdorf, MD Catherine Lomen‐Hoerth, MD, PhD

Kevin Biglan, MD David R. Lynch, MD, PhD

Nico Bohnen, MD, PhD Nicte Mejia, MD

Catherine Chu, MD Mark Mehler, MD, FAAN

Daniel Claassen, MD Ana Claire Meyer, MD

Bill Dauer, MD Page Pennell, MD

Stanley Fahn, MD, FAAN Susan L. Perlman, MD

Christopher Goetz, MD, FAAN Gil Rabinovici, MD

Cecil Hahn, MD Robert Ruff, MD, PhD, FAAN

Chad Hales, MD, PhD Tatjana Rundek, MD, PhD

Cynthia Harden, MD Dennis Spencer, MD

Larry Hirsch, MD, FAAN Oksana Suchowersky, MD, FAAN

Jeffrey Kaye, MD, FAAN Stephen Vernino, MD, PhD, FAAN

Petra Kaufmann, MD Aleksandar Videnovic, MD, MSc

Richard King, MD, PhD Chris Weihl, MD, PhD

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Congratula ons to the Class of 2014 CRTF Recipients Clinical Research Training Fellowships      Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, the       American Brain Foundation and Teva CNS 

        

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Brian Edlow, MD Massachuse s General Hospital Personalized Connectomics to  Predict Recovery of Consciousness    a er Trauma c Coma Mentor: Steven Greenberg, MD, PhD, FAAN

Jay Gavvala, MD Northwestern University Predicting Epilepsy Surgery  Outcomes using EEG‐MEG Source    Localization Mentor: Stephan Schuele, MD,  

Stephanie Geisler, MD Washington University Sarm1 pathway: new therapeu c targets in neuropathy Mentor: Aaron DiAntonio, MD, PhD

Eyal Kimchi, MD, PhD Massachuse s General Hospital Determining the pathophysiology and treatment of delirium using a transla‐onal model 

Mentor: Sydney Cash, MD, PhD

Svjetlana Miocinovic, MD, PhD UT Southwestern Medical Center Mechanisms of cor cal modula on during STN and GPi deep brain s mu‐la on in Parkinson’s disease Mentor: Philip Starr, MD, PhD

Lidia Maria Moura, MD Massachuse s General Hospital Varia on in quality of epilepsy care and associa on with pa ent‐centered outcomes Mentor: Daniel Hoch, MD, PhD

Peter Pressman, MD University of California San Francisco Prosodic Markers in the Diagnosis of Frontotemporal Demen a Mentor: Maria Luisa Gorno‐Tempini, MD, PhD

Lucia Rivera Lara, MD Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Op mizing Cerebral Perfusion in  Comatose Pa ents with Acute  Neurological Illness Mentor: Romero Geocadin, MD

*2009 CRTF recipient  

Rainer Von Coelln, MD, PhD University of Maryland School of Medicine Gene c Determinants of Clinical Het‐erogeneity in Parkinson Disease Mentor: Lisa Shulman, MD

Practice Research Training Fellowship     Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and        the American Brain Foundation  

David Hwang, MD Yale School of Medicine Understanding Priori es of  Surrogate Decision Makers for Pa‐ents with Intracerebral Hemorrhage 

Mentor: Liana Fraenkel, MD, MPH

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Clinical Research Training Fellowships in Ataxia      Cosponsored by the American Brain Foundation and the          National Ataxia Foundation   

      Clinician‐Scientist Development Three‐Year Award in Myasthenia Gravis and Related Disorders of the Neuromuscular Junction      Cosponsored by the American Brain Foundation and the          Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of American          Robert Katzman, MD, Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Alzheimer’s Research      Co‐sponsored by the American Brain Foundation and the          Alzheimer's Association     

     

Fellowships in the Neurological Application of Neurotoxins    Funded by the Allergan Foundation 

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Padmaja Vi al, MD, MS Rush University Medical Center The Role of An sense FMR1 in the Development of Fragile X‐associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome Mentor: Deborah Hall, MD, PhD *2003 CRTF recipient

Ricardo Roda, MD, PhD NYU School of Medicine Clinical Significance and Pathogenic Mechanisms of LRP4 An bodies in Myasthenia Gravis Mentor: Steven Burden, PhD

Elissaios Karageorgiou, MD University of California San Francisco Magnetoencephalographic Pa erns of Frontotemporal Lobar  Degenera on: Func onal Networks and Disease Biomarkers Mentor: Bruce Miller, MD

Valerie Rundle Gonzales, MD University of Florida College of Medicine Synergis c Effects and Mechanisms Underpinning Neurotoxin and Physical Therapy  Mentor: Michael Okun, MD *2000 CRTF recipient

Bardia Nourbakhsh, MD University of California San Francisco Correla ons between MRI measures and visual, clinical and cogni ve out‐comes in pa ents with early MS Mentor: Emmanuel Waubant, MD, FAAN

Colin Josephson, MD, MSc University of Calgary A systema c approach to derive, vali‐date and implement clinical  decision support tools in epilepsy Mentor: Samuel Wiebe, MD

Clinician‐Scientist Development Three‐Year Award in Multiple Sclerosis Cosponsored by the American Brain Foundation and the    National Multiple Sclerosis Award  

Ma hew Schindler, MD, PhD University of Pennsylvania Advanced imaging of acute lesion forma on and repair in pa ents with relapse remi ng mul ple sclerosis Mentor: Daniel Reich, MD, PhD

Clinical Research Training Fellowship in MS Co‐sponsored by the American Brain Foundation and Biogen Idec.

Susan S. Spencer Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Epilepsy Co‐sponsored by the American Brain Foundation, the American Epilepsy Society and the Epilepsy Foundation 

Srikant Rangaraju, MBBS Emory University Targe ng Microglial Kv1.3 Channels as a Therapeu c Strategy In  Alzheimer’s Disease Mentor: Allan Levy, MD, PhD

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Con nued from Page 2 Lawrence M. Brass, MD Stroke Research Fellowship Cosponsored by the American Brain Foundation and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association              

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Amin Khalifeh Soltani, MD, MPH University of California San Francisco Structural insights into recogni on and assembly mechanisms of  molecular chaperones Mentor: Kamran Atabai, MD

Amber Van Laar, MD University of Pi sburgh Medical Center Parkin overexpression as a  therapeu c strategy Mentor: J. Timothy Greenamyre, MD, PhD

Clinician‐Scientist Development Three‐Year Award in Parkinson’s Disease Cosponsored by the American Brain Foundation and the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation

We are Please to Announce the Fellowship Opportunities for 2015 All application deadlines are October 1, 2014, unless otherwise noted. American Brain Founda on Clinical Research Training Fellowships Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, the American Brain Founda on, and Teva CNS Prac ce Research Training Fellowship Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Brain Founda on Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Neurotoxins Funded by the Allergan Founda on Clinical Research Training Fellowship in ALS Sponsored by the American Brain Founda on and the ALS Associa on Susan S. Spencer Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Epilepsy Sponsored by the American Brain Founda on, the American Epilepsy Society, and the Epilepsy Founda on MS Clinician‐Scien st Development Award Sponsored by the Na onal MS Society and the American Brain Founda on Applica on Deadline: August 13, 2014 To apply, visit: h p://www.na onalmssociety.org/For‐Professionals/Researchers/Society‐Funding/Training‐Grants‐and‐Fellowships/   Clinician‐Scien st‐Development‐Awards Lawrence M. Brass, MD, Stroke Research Fellowship Sponsored by the American Heart Associa on, the American Stroke Associa on, and the American Brain Founda on* Exact applica on deadline is determined by your affiliate area (geographic loca on). To determine your affiliate area, please visit my.americanheart.org, click on “Research” and “Funding Opportuni es.”

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Don’t Miss these Special Research Events During the Annual Meeting

The Resident Experience Saturday, April 26, 2014 ‐ Friday, May 2, 2014

A unique space within the Conven on Center specifically for Students, Residents and Fellows to network, find informa on, and par cipate in informal presenta ons specifically geared for those in the early stages of their career. Free and open to all students, residents and fellows.

The Research Career Development Symposium: How to be Successful in Academic Neuroscience

Saturday, April 26, 2014 9:00 am to 5:00 pm This program is designed for academic neurologists who are early in the development of a clinician scien st career. The focus is on successful strategies for earning a mentored career development award such as the K23 or K08 awards as well as training grants from major founda ons such as the American Brain Founda on. Addi onal career development topics per nent to clinician scien sts will be addressed through didac c lectures and small group mentoring sessions led by senior academic neurologists as well as recent awardees of mentored awards. A endees will receive informa on cri cal to their transi on from residency or clinical fellowship to inves ga ve independence. There are a limited number of spots available for this program. You can register for the course through the registra on website at h ps://www3.cmrreg.com/aan_9i/ or by calling 800‐676‐4226.

Residents and Fellows Career Forum and Recep on Monday, April 28, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Panel Sessions: 6:30 p.m.‐7:30 p.m. Recep on: 7:30 p.m.‐9:00 p.m.

Learn how to search for a fellowship, how program directors select fellows, and how a fellowship could benefit your career. Find out how to start a career in academics/research and private prac ce. Socialize with other residents and fellows as well as representa ves from physician recruiters. Adver sers in Neurology Career Center will also be on hand to discuss job opportuni es Free and open to all residents and fellows.

Residents and Fellows Career Forum and Recep on American Academy of Neurology and American Brain Founda on Awards Luncheon

Wednesday, April 30, 2014 12:00 p.m.‐1:30 p.m.

Join AAN leaders to honor top accomplishments in the field from enterprising young high school students to world‐renowned researchers. The luncheon recognizes some of the top accomplishments in neuroscience research and is an excellent opportunity to network with other CRTF recipients and physicians in various areas of research. CRTF recipients will be recognized during the presenta on. Tickets are required to a end the Awards Luncheon. Tickets are available for $60; junior members may a end at no cost. Tickets are available at the AAN registra on booth in the Pennsylvania Conven on Center or through the registra on website.

 

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Q & A with Featured Researchers Holly Hinson, MD Oregon Health & Science University Practice Research Training Fellowship

Please describe your research. We are developing a scale to describe or quan fy the severity of a syndrome some pa ents with trauma c brain injury develop called “pararoxysmal sympathe c hyperac vity” (PSH), also known as "sympathe c storms". How will your research benefit the public? In the future, doctors may use the scale in research to measure how well treatments for PSH work. What are your future plans? I was recently awarded funding from the Na onal Heart, Lung and Blood ins tute to con nue my work in trauma c brain injury (TBI). I will inves gate the links between early fever and inflamma on in severe TBI. What is the most significant discovery in your research thus far? Li le is known about the long‐term outcomes of pa ents with PSH in TBI. Despite doing poorly in the short term (longer hospital stays), it appears these pa ents may actually do well long term based on the preliminary data from our cohort.

Nada Hindiyeh, MD Stanford University Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Neurotoxins, Funded by the Allergan Foundation Please explain your research. The goal of this study is to develop a screening tool for the diagnosis of chronic migraine. We are screening for chronic migraine by recrui ng subjects from web surveys and then conduc ng in person interviews and examina ons. How will your research benefit the public? About 1 to 3% of people suffer from chronic migraines which results in a significant amount of disability, decreased produc vity and disrup on of qualify of life. However, many chron‐ic migraine sufferers are not being diagnosed accurately. There is a cri cal need for easier and more accurate ways to diagnose chronic migraine to ensure people get mely treatment.