Department of Neurology

Current Resident & Fellow Research

The opportunity to participate in clinical and basic research is an important part of the fellowship and residency programs in Neurology at the University of Utah.  Listed below is a sample of recent research by our fellows and residents:

Fellows

Matthew Grantz, MD - Vascular Neurology/Stroke

  • Unusual Neuropathies.  Presented  at Neurology Grand Rounds, June 2010.
  • Malignant Multiple Sclerosis.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, June 2009.
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (Case Study).  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, July 2009.  

Natalie Weathered, MD - Vascular Neurology/Stroke

  • Rethinking See One, Do One, Teach One:  Teaching in an Increasingly Complex Medical System.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, April 2011. 
  • Systemic Inflammation in HIV Associated Dementia. Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, June 2010 and April 2011. 
  • Will an Herb a Day Keep the Pain at Bay?  An Alternative Approach to Migraine.  Presented at Baringer Symposium, June 2012.
  • Minocycline inhibits apoptosis and inflammation in a rat model of ischemic renal injury. Kelly KJ, Sutton TA, Weathered N, Ray N, Caldwell EJ, Plotkin Z, Dagher PC. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2004 Oct;287(4):F760-6. Epub 2004 Jun 1.The Genetics of Stroke:  Review of Literature and Examination of a Local Pedigree.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, July 2010.  
  • Morrissey C, Brown M, O’Sullivan J. Weathered N, Watson RW, Tenniswood M.  Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate and Biculutamide Growth Arrest and Apoptosis in NRP-152 and NRP-154 Prostate Epithelial Cells.  Int. J. Urology, 2007. Jun:14(6): 545-51.  
  • Anticoagulation in Setting of Acute Stroke: A Retrospective Review.  Resident Research Project. 

Summer Gibson, MD – Clinical Neurophysiology

  • CK Levels in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.  Presented at the Western Neurological Organization Conference, March 2011. 
  • Three Cases of Acute Myositis Following Influenze-like Illness.  Presented  at the Brainstorm Conference, March 2010.   
  • Courtship in Gravity-Mutant Drosophila.  Presented at First Annual Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium, 2002.
  • Excision Crosses in Drosophila.  Presented at Second Annual Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium, 2003.
  • ACP- Clinical Vignette Competition submission May 2009- "The Forgotten Disease".   
  • ALS in a Population-based Resource:  New Insight into Clinical Care and Genetic Considerations.  Presented at Baringer Symposium, June 2012.
  • Creatine Kinase in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.  Presented at WINO Conference, March 2011. And 9th Annual NEALS Meeting – October 2010.
  • ALS:  Drug Therapy from Bench to Bedside. - Seminars – in press.
  • Three Cases of Acute Myositis Following Influenze-like Illness.  Journal of neurosciences in Rural Practices – in press.

Bethany McClenathan, MD – Neuro Critical Care

  • Selected Inherited Thrombophilias in Stroke.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, May 2011. 
  • Case Report:  The Use of Rituximab in Refractory Tumefactive MS.   Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, July 2010.  
  • CT Perfusion in Acute Migraine.  Presented at Baringer Symposium, June 2012. 
  • Computer Tomography Perfusion.  Mentors:  Jana Wold, M.D., K.C. Brennan, M.D., John Steffens, M.D.
  • Prabhakaran S, Silver AJ, Warrier L, McClenathan B, Lee V.  Misdiagnosis of transient ischemic attacks in the emergency room.  Cerebrovascular Disease 2008: 26 (6): 630-635.
  • Prabhakaran S, Patel SK, McClenathan B, Mohammad Y, Lee V. Perfusion Computed Tomography Intransient Ischemic Attack.  Archives of Neurology 2011 January: 68(1) 850-59.

PGY-4 Residents

Marie Collier

  • Dietary Factors and Multiple Sclerosis.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, June 2011. 
  • Photic Stimulation in Epilepsy and Transient Ischemic Attack.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, May 2012.
  • Department of Veteran’s Affairs Quality Improvement Study in Stroke with Dr. Sarah Maulden, MD, MS Adjunct Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Utah.
  • High Frequency Oscillation research study with Dr. Helen Barkan, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Utah
  • Stroke Hyperglycemia Insulin Network Effort Trial participating as a project member with Jana Wold, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Utah. 

Adam deHavenon

  • End-of-Life Communication in the ICU: A Historical and Evidence-based Approach.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, May 2011. 
  • Respiratory Viral Illnesses in the Intensive Care Unit:  A Retrospective Cohort Study.  Principal Investigator:  Russ Miller, M.D. , Intermountain Medical Center
  • Cortical Dysfunction in a Migraine Endrophenotype. Principal Investigator:  KC Brennan, M.D. , University of Utah.
  • Systemic Inflammation in HIV Associated Dementia. Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, June 2010.  
  • Cerebral Metallosis in Patients with Mechanical heart Valves.  Mentor:  Edward Quigley, M.D.
  • Migraine with Aura and Vertigo, MEG and fMRI Imaging. Mentor:  K.C. Brennan, M.D.
  • Case Report on Spice:  Legally High and Seizing Neurohospitalist Journal 
  • Cushing’s Disease:  International Journal for Surgical Case Reports
  • de Havenon A.  Missing the Diagnosis.  American College of Physicians Annual Meeting, Utah Chapter, 2009, Murray, UT.
  • de Havenon A., Ehrenkranz J. Perforated Diverticulum in Patients with Cushing’s Disease.  Endocrine Society Annual Meeting.
  • de Havenon A.  CT Screening for Lung Cancer.  N. Engl. J. Med. 2007, 356 (7): 745-746; author reply 746-747.  

Kris French

  • Intra-arterial Verapamil in Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, April 2011. 
  • Clinical Mismatch using CT Perfusion and Outcome in MCA and Carotid Artery Strokes:  a Retrospective Study.  Mentor:  Robert Hoesch, M.D., PhD. 
  • MS Serological Biomarkers in Diagnosing Multiple Sclerosis.  Mentor:  John Rose, M.D. 
  • Reliability of ABC/2 Volume CT Perfusion Mismatch Calculation Using the ABC/2 Method.
  • French, K., Garcia, C., Hoesch, R., Wold, J., Ledyard, H.  Cerebral Air Embolism in a patient with Atrial Esophageal Fistula After Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.  The Neurohospitalist.  July 2011. 
  • French, KF, Hoesch, RE, Allred J. Wider M, Smith AG, Digre KB, La Barge DV  3rd Repetitive Use of Intra-Arterial Verapamil in the Treatment of Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome.  J Clin Neurosci.  2012 Jan: 19(1): 174-6.  Epub 2011 Nov 25.
  • French, KF, Garcia C, Wold JJ, Hoesch RE, Ledyard HK.  Cerebral Air Emboli With Artial-Esophageal Fistula Following Atrial Fibrillation Ablation:  A Case Report and Literature Review.  Neurohospitalist Journal 2011: 1(3): 128-132. 
  • French, KF, White J, Hoesch RE.  Treatment of Intracerebral Hemorrhage with Transexamic Acid After Thrombolysis with Tissue Plasminogen Activator.  Neurocrit Care 2012:  in press.
  • Case report with Dr. Mark Bromberg to be published in Muscle and Nerve.

Peter Hannon

  • Why and How primary Insomnia and Hyperarousal.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, June 2011. 
  • Resident to Medical Student Teaching: Concepts for Improving Learning on a Busy Inpatient Neurology Service.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, May 2012. 
  • Improvement of Neurological Symptoms and Memory and Emotional Status in a Case of Seronegative Sneddon Syndrome with Cyclophosphamide.  Hannon PM, Kuo SH, Struaa Am, York MK, Kass JS.  Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery 112 (2010): 544-47.
  • Resident-to-Medical Student Teaching:  A Formula for Success on a Busy Inpatient Neurology Service.  Poster presentation.  2011 World Federation of Neurology (WFN) Annual Meeting, Marrakesh, Morocco, November 2011.
  • The Role of ERManl Levels in Physiological Changes in the Aging Mouse Brain, and in the Neuropathogenesis of Alzheimer’ Disease.  Poster presentation.  2007 American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, May, 2007.

Angela Peters

  • Sweney M, Peters AY, Matsuo F, Riaz A, Barkan H, Afra P. A Case of Post-anoxic Encephalopathy During and After Hypothermia. Poster presentation, American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, 2012.
  • Barkan H, Afra P, Rusin W, Bachanan T, Peters AY. Audiogenic reflex epilepsy after a contralateral cochlear implant: a coincidence or a consequence? Poster presentation, American Epilepsy Society, 2011.
  • Seizures in the Emergency Department: An Analysis and Practice Parameters. IRB in progress. With Helen Barkan M.D., Eric Barton M.D., Ligia Onofrei M.D.
  • A Case of Fronto-Temporal Dementia in Adult-Onset Metachromatic Leukodystrophy. Publication in progress. With Normal Foster M.D., Dustin Hammers Ph.D., Richard King M.D.
  • Non-Epileptic Events in the Epileptic: A New Analysis of an EEG Phenotype. Resident Research. Mentor: Fumisuke Matsuo.
  • Peters AY. Migraines in Oz: What is the Aura? Grand Rounds, 2012.
  • Utah Aura Project. Resident research. Mentor: K.C. Brennan.
  • MEG Analysis in Non-Lateralizing Epilepsy. Resident research with Pegah Afra M.D.
  • Peters AY, McCullough L. Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis: What’s Guiding the Policy Makers? Medical Ethics Senior Thesis, Baylor College of Medicine, 2004
  • Birch DG, Peters AY, Locke KL, Spencer R, Megarity CF, Travis GH. Visual function in patients with cone-rod dystrophy (CRD) associated with mutations in the ABCA4 (ABCR) gene. Experimental Eye Research 2001; 73:877-886. 
  • Peters AY, Locke KG, Birch DG.  Comparison of the Goldmann-Weekers Dark Adaptometer and LKC Technologies Scotopic Sensitivity Tester-1. Documenta Ophthalmologica.  2000;101:1-10.Peters AY. Comparison of the Goldmann-Weekers Dark Adaptometer and LKC Technologies Scotopic Sensitivity Tester-1.  Poster Presentation, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Florida, May 1999
  • Peters AY. Ready or Not? Designer Genes and the Genetic Revolution. Proceedings of the Philosophical Society of Texas, December, 1997. With award presented by President George W. Bush.

PGY-3 Residents

Lee Chung

  • Clinical and Electrodiagnostic Features of an Outbreak of Foodborne Botulism.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, April 2012.   
  • Corneal Microscopy in the Evaluation of Small Fiber Neuropathy.  Mentors:   Gordon Smith, M.D., Kathleen Digre, M.D., and Rob Singleton, M.D.

Victoria Holiday

  • Case Report:  Erthrocytosis and Hypervisocisity as the Primary Cause of Status Epilepticus.  Presented at Neurology Grand Rounds, May 2012.

Kevin Meier

  • CD44 as Potential Prognostic Indicator in Ependymomas.  Presented to Neurology Grand Rounds, June 2012.

Ligia Onofrei

  • Imaging Modalities-Stroke and Seizure.  Presented at Brainstorm Conference, March 2012.

Pediatric Neurology Residents

Meghan Candee

  • Seizure Characteristics in Pallister Killian Syndrome. Mentor:  Francis Filloux, M.D.  Designed research project with mentor.  Wrote IRB proposal.    Identified cases via web-based contract and questionnaire.  Analyzed data.  Presented at a national meeting. 
  • EEG, Neuroimaging and Other Neurological features of Pallister-Killian Syndrome.  Mentor:  Francis Filloux, M.D. 
  • Establish and Maintenance of an International Pallister-Killian Database.  Mentor:  Francis Filloux, M.D
  • PFO and White Matter Lesions in Children with Migraine.  Prepared manuscript for journal submission/publication.  Mentor:  Dr. James Bale, M.D.
  • Candee MS, Carey JC, Krantz I, Filloux FM. Seizure Characteristics in Pallister Killian Syndrome, in final preparation for submission to Am J Medical Genetics.
  • Filloux FM, Carey JC, Krantz ID, Ekstrand JJ, Candee MS.  Occurrence and Clinical Features of Epileptic and Non-Epileptic Paroxysmal Evens in Five Children with Pallister-Killian Syndrome.  Eur J Med Gen.  In Press, Accepted Manuscript.  Available online January 31, 2012.

Betsy Ostrander

  • Acta 2 Mutation Case Study.  Mentor:  Susan Benedict, Pediatric Neurology.  Co-author of case report.  
  • Hemimegalencephaly case series.  Mentor;  Colin Van Orman, Pediatric Neurology.  Co-author of study.  
  • Epigenetics of Prematurity, Retrospective Case Control Study.  Mentor:  Joshua Bonkowsky, Pediatric Neurology.  Co-author of study.
  • Transient Ischemic Attack as Presentation of Multisystemic Smooth Muscle Dysfunction in a Toddler.  Presentation at Neurology Grand Rounds May 2012.