Stefan Pulst received a Senator Jacob Javits award from NINDS. The award provides “long-term support to investigators with a history of exceptional talent, imagination, and preeminent scientific achievement. It is only the 3rd time this award has been given to a Utah scientist.
Jenny Majersik was invited to be on the editorial board of Neurology.
Melissa Cortez presented at the ACTRIMS/ECTRIMS 2014 Joint meeting on Sept. 11, on “Autonomic Symptom Burden is Associated with MS-related Fatigue and Quality of Life.” This was sponsored by her Young Investigator award.
Greenlee JE, Clardy SL, Clawson SA, Wood B, Hill KE, Tsunoda I, Carlson NG. Specificity of Antibody Binding in Anti-Yo Mediated Purkinje Cell Cytotoxicity. Presented as platform presentation (Data Blitz) and poster, American Neurological Association, Baltimore MD, October 2014.
KC Brennan was featured in a New York Times article on the need to study sex differences in biomedical research- this is especially important in migraine because 2/3 of migraineurs are women. (www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/health/23gender.html?refhealth&r=1)
Jana Wold received "teacher of the year" honors from the PA students for 2014!
Kathleen Digre finished her 6-month sabbatical as the First Hedi Fritz Niggli Guest Professor on July 31, 2014. During her absence, she gave lectures on: Post-operative visual Loss Grand rounds at University of Zurich and University of Bern. She also hosted a workshops on: Work Life Balance Panel Discussion, and Decision Making with Leo Hopf of Utah.
Clardy SL (August 2014) Psychiatric Manifestations of Antibody-Mediated Disease. Grand Rounds, Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
Behrang Saminejad, the first Movement Disorders fellow in the history of the Department, began his 2-year training program July 1st.
During the 3rd Annual Neurology Intensive Course, Steve O'Donnell (PGY1-Adult Neurology) joined Peter Hannon and David Renner at the College of Health in Kumasi Ghana to teach in this course. This neurology course targets primary care clinicians who triage and treat patients at the district level of rural Ghana. This year's course concluded with a village outreach screening program in a community on Cape Coast.
Michael Himle (Psychology) and David Shprecher successfully applied as co-directors for funding of a Center of Excellence through the Tourette Syndrome Association.
KC Brennan's lab received notice of supplemental funding to study sex differences in migraine from the NIH Office of Research on Women's health.
Natalie Rae received an American Academy of Neurology Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship to study autonomic features of migraine. Congrats Natalie on this honor.
Patrick Parker,1st year Neuroscience Student with Dr. Brennan's lab has been awarded a 2014 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program fellowship. Congratulations Patrick on this achievement!
Brandon Zielinski received K08 Funding from NIMH for his project, BRAIN NETWORK DEVELOPMENT IN NORMAL AND AUTISTIC CHILDREN. Guido Gerig is his local mentor. Way to go Brandon!
Jennifer Majersik hosted the 15th International Stroke Genetics Consortium Workshop on April 3-4 at the University of Utah. Sixty attendees from 4 continents, 12 countries, and 13 US states participated.
The Stroke Center was recently re-certified by DNV as a Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Troy Andersen is receiving the College of Social Work Ph.D. Faculty Award for Promise in Social Work, based on his demonstrated interest in, and dedicated service to, the practice of social work; creativity and performance in field practicum; and for scholastic ability and achievement.
David Renner was this year's recipient of the John R. Park Teaching Fellowship. This one-year fellowship is awarded to one U of U faculty member to study outside of the University, and provides partial funding for their educational endeavors. This fellowship is selected by the University Teaching Committee and is approved by the Board of Trustees.
Gordon Chelune assumed the position of Executive Director of the International Neuropsychological Society (INS) in February, and through an administrative agreement with the University of Utah and Department of Neurology moved the administrative offices of the INS to 2319 S. Foothill Drive, Ste 260, Salt Lake City.
Angela Eastvold spoke at the Annual University of Utah Physician Assistant Program Preceptor Appreciation CME Event on 3/15/14 on “Concussions – Pathophysiology, assessment and management.”
Marie Collier, Nick Johnson, David Shprecher and Awais Riaz, the Neurology Department at University of Utah, attended the annual “Neurology on the Hill”. The program brings in neurologists from each State to visit Capitol Hill to educate the Congress about issues facing Neurologists and patients with neurological disorders. Great strides were made this year as the bill to permanently revoke the SGR is finally being rolled out with bipartisan support and will hopefully make it to the floor for a vote.
Edward Zamrini served as a Peer-Reviewer during the 2014 Alzheimer's Association International Research Grant Program – New Investigators Program (August 2013 - January 2014).
Norman Foster did a community presentation for the Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC) about Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease on February 20th.
Pete Hannon was also selected as core faculty for the Clinical Methods Curriculum longitudinal medical student course for the upcoming year.
Stacey Clardy received funding for the grant "Anti-Neuronal antibodies in Veterans with Autoimmune Epilepsy" from the Western Institute for Biomedical Research (WIBR)
KC Brennan had his Department of Defense CDMRP grant funded, which will study the interactions of stress and brain trauma in the origins of post-traumatic headache. He wanted to send out special congratulations to Punam Sawant, Jorge Mendez, Dan Kaufmann, Jeremy Theriot, and Tyler Hanak for their critical work on the proposal.
Angela Wang and Norman Foster recently analyzed and submitted for web-posting 332 PET images as part of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. These are available for researchers around the world. Over the past 5 years CACIR has processed 4,951 PET images posting the images and regional values.
The Cognitive Disorders Clinic reached the landmark of evaluating its 5,000th patient.
Framing Dementia, a book by students in the University of Utah Honors College Think Tank “Alzheimer’s Disease and Aging” was recently published.. A reception in honor of the book’s publication is planned soon at the Honor’s College. Contact CACIR at 801-587-7236 about how to obtain a copy of the book.
Dr.Nick Johnson was the moderator at the AAN’s Palatucci Advocacy leadership forum, a 4-day workshop on leadership and public policy training, which was held 1/30 – 2/2/14.
Dr. Foster secured support in Governor Herbert’s budget for the first state funding for Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders and subsequently testified to the Social Services Appropriations Sub-committee for funding in support the Utah State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (February 5, 2014)
John Steffens was again listed in Best Doctors in America for the 9th consecutive year!
For his scientific contributions, Rodolfo Savica was given the "Antonello da Messina” award, which is presented to citizens of Messina, Sicily who have made some significant successes in their field.
Pete Hannon was awarded a scholarship from the UUMG Quality Improvement (QI) Leaders of Tomorrow Scholar Program, along with Dana DeWitt.
Summer Gibson was selected for the VPCAT Research Scholar Program 2014-16 and received funding for a familial ALS genetics study by the Utah Genome Project (PI: Stefan Pulst).
The Pediatric Headache Clinic is currently enrolling patients in 2 studies. In Mindfulness Study, girls with chronic headache will participate in “mindfulness” sessions (e.g., meditation, biofeedback, etc.) to attempt to increase headache control. In the Thin Film Spectacle Coatings study, they will attempt to reduce light sensitivity and headaches in child and adolescent patients with migraine.