|
Dear ANA Members, This week, we enjoyed our “longest” day of the year on Summer Solstice when the sun hits its highest point in the sky. In much the same way, the ANA is hitting high points this year as we continue to grow, advance our initiatives, and expand our reach into academic neurology around the globe. We have much to be proud of. We are Bursting with Pride! June is time to celebrate Pride Month, when we recognize and celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ Community and its contributions to academic neurology, neuroscience, and medicine. This past week, a group of ANA members hosted a roundtable discussion about the challenges and opportunities for LGBTQIA+ individuals in academic neurology. It is inspiring to hear them share their personal experience and also a reminder that we need to embrace all individuals and appreciate the contribution they bring to the field of neurology. You may watch and listen to the roundtable here, and I highly recommend taking the time to do so. It is insightful and uplifting. |
 |
|
ANA Call for Committee Service Ends June 30, 2023 As noted, the ANA has outstanding leaders serving on its board and on the several committees designed to help us set and achieve goals. If you would like to be part of committee work to help advance our mission and vision, please respond to the Call for Committee Service on or before June 30, 2023. I am grateful for the leadership of Dr. Eva Feldman, Chair of the ANA Governance Council, and the members of the council who help us review applicants for committee service and recommend a slate of candidates to serve on committees with openings. Committee service is a great way to engage with the ANA and connect with the community of academic neurology and neuroscience. It is a great way to give back while also receiving experience, connection, knowledge, and expertise. |
 |
|
We are Making a Global Impact I am grateful to be part of this outstanding organization that recognizes the contributions and diversity of all members. I am fortunate to work and collaborate with amazing leaders that help the ANA reach new heights and achieve its strategic goals. During my term as Board President, I have made it my goal to expand our reach and to inspire global engagement. One amazing leader I have so enjoyed working with is Dr. Kiran Thakur, Chair of the Global Engagement Committee (GEC). Together with the GEC members and support from Dr. Nadine Goldberg, ANA’s Chief Program Officer, they have invested the time, energy, and expertise to design and deploy the Grant to Activate Global Engagement (GAGE). The GAGE Program funding was first established in 2020 as a response to the global COVID-19 pandemic and successfully supported efforts to engage global neurologists in the ANA’s virtual annual meeting. In the 2022-2023 funding year, with support of the ANA Board of Directors, the GEC restructured and expanded the program by providing four $2,000 grants to support neurology education and/or research symposia held locally in low and lower-middle income countries (LIC/LMIC). The grants have supported the Guinean Society of Neurology to host the first National Scientific Symposium on Epilepsy and Epilepsy Day on May 27 where free consultations were provided to Guinean epileptics. The healthcare teams responded to patients' questions and concerns making it possible to assess the current effectiveness of the treatments to which they are subjected, to propose modifications if necessary, and to give advice on crisis management. Diagnosed patients have also benefited from products that will greatly contribute to improving their health. The funds will also support the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADDIZ) Symposium in Zambia on August 5, 2023, the Bahir Dar Outreach for Neurology Education (BORNE) Symposium and Workshop: Delivering Organized Care for Stroke Patients in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia on September 19, and the Symposium: Stroke Diagnosis and Management in a Resource-limited Setting in Uganda on October 14, 2023. I am so glad the ANA is engaging with academic neurologists around the globe and making an impact. I want to thank the Board, the GEC, the ANA staff, and our members for supporting this work and taking the necessary steps to achieve this goal. |
 |
|
ANA2023 is Going to be Amazing! I am so excited to welcome everyone to my hometown of Philadelphia this September 9 – 12, 2023, as we host ANA2023 at the Philadelphia Downtown Marriott. I am grateful to Dr. Rebecca Gottesman, Chair of the Annual Meeting Programming (AMP) Committee, and Dr. Allison Willis, Vice Chair of the AMP Committee, for their leadership in designing a program of highest quality and content. ANA Members Pay Lower Registration Rates! Registration is open! I have registered for ANA2023; have you? Be sure to register early, reserve a room, and get ready to join us in Philadelphia. ANA2023 early registration deadline is August 4, 2023. Register now to take advantage of reduced registration rates! In an effort to ensure member value, I worked with the AMP Committee this year to establish rates that are lower for members. It is less expensive to join the ANA and register for the Annual Meeting as a member than it is to register as a non-member. Presidential Symposium As Board President, I have worked with the AMP Committee to develop the Presidential Symposium: Exploring Sleep Disturbance in CNS Disorders. I am privileged to chair this session and to be joined by Dr. Heather Snyder of the Alzheimer’s Association who will co-chair the session with me. Dr. Ying-Hui Fu of the University of California San Diego, Dr. David Holtzman of Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. Beth Malow of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Maiken Nedergaard of University of Rochester Medical Center/University of Copenhagen, and Dr. Louis Ptacek of University of California San Francisco will join me as presenters during the symposium where we will explore the recent advances in sleep medicine that apply to multiple neurological disorders and hear about novel mechanisms of sleep measurement and mitigatable targets. This symposium will highlight the importance of recognizing sleep state in clinical trial design and aims to make stakeholders aware of the importance of sleep in measuring neurobehavioral outcomes and disease progression. If you want to be part of this and many other exciting sessions at ANA2023, register today! ANA Plenaries Will Provide Insightful and Compelling Information The AMP Committee has been working to create an outstanding line-up of sessions for attendees at ANA2023 to enjoy. We appreciate the work the committee has done, and we hope you will take advantage of the plenary sessions this year:
As well, Interactive Lunch Workshops, Special Interest Groups, Poster Sessions, Professional Development, and satellite symposia will be available. You can read about the educational programming online here. |
Research Careers Reimagined Course is Back in 2023! The ANA recognizes the importance of academic research, and I am so glad for the board and AMP Committee support to make the Research Careers Reimagined (RCR) Course an annual offering. The RCR Course explores a variety of funding pathways for researchers in neurology including traditional funding mechanisms from NIH to pharma. The impact of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and communication through social media, affecting academic publications will also be discussed. The RCR Course is open to Instructors, Assistant Professors, Trainees, Residents, and Postdoc Fellows only. Click here for registration details and more information. Executive Session of Membership Meeting Each year, the ANA hosts the Executive Session of Membership meeting to update members on association operations, events, and projects. As well, the Executive Session of Membership meeting serves as the forum to present the slate of candidates for ANA Executive Committee and Board of Directors service. We hope you will join us at ANA2023 and attend the Executive Session of Membership meeting to be held Monday, September 11, from 10:45 – 11:45 AM. |
|
I hope you are enjoying these sunny days of summer. We know it will pass all too quickly, and fall will be here before we know it. Make plans now for ANA2023 as September really is just around the corner. Consider committee service, engage with ANA programming like ANA Highlights and ANA Investigators, and enjoy all your ANA membership has to offer. I appreciate you being part of the ANA, and I hope to see you at ANA2023!
Sincerely, |
 |
|
Frances E. Jensen, MD, FACP, FANA President, American Neurological Association Arthur Knight Asbury, MD Professor of Neurology Chair of the Department of Neurology Co-Director Penn Medicine Translational Neuroscience Center Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania |