October 2022

Dear ANA Members:

Having recently returned from the 147th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association, I am excited to share some key moments and takeaways from this incredible experience. I want to start by thanking everyone involved in making this year’s meeting truly outstanding. That extends to our attendees, speakers, awardees, sponsors, exhibitors and meeting staff. It is humbling to witness a year of work and effort come together to provide a first-rate experience for our 900+ attendees.

Our return to an in-person meeting was an exciting prospect and I’m pleased to share that the experience far exceeded expectations! Seeing familiar faces and reconnecting with friends and colleagues from around the country and world has truly energized my spirits. Likewise, I enjoyed meeting and becoming acquainted with those new to the meeting. Based on my observations, I am confident that many attendees had similar experiences.

Junior & Early Career Attendees

I was very pleased to see such a wonderful presence from junior and early career researchers. They are the future of the ANA, and I loved hearing their remarkable feedback. The educational and networking sessions dedicated to professional development were well attended and highly collaborative, and I look forward to continuing to support and nurture this segment of our population.

ANA-NINDS Career Development Symposium

We had outstanding engagement at the ANA-NINDS Career Development Symposium. The program is intended to help prepare early and junior career level researchers to write successful grant proposals, obtain grant funding from NIH and other institutions and build an impactful academic career.

Research Careers Reimagined

I would like to recognize the efforts of Laura J. Balcer, MD, MSCE, FANA, in bringing her vision for the Research Careers Reimagined (RCR) Course to life. Building on the success of the Translational and Clinical Research Course (TCRC), RCR Course attendees had the opportunity to gain insight into sources of funding for investigation and academic pursuits in neurology.

ANA2022 Scientific Program

The science presented throughout the meeting was truly extraordinary! Our plenary sessions offered thought-provoking and inspiring insights on key issues that are happening around us. Rounding out the attendees' experience was a wonderful mix of workshops, traditional and cross-cutting special interest groups, professional development sessions and poster presentations. There was truly something for everyone’s interest and learning style!

International Delegates

I’d like to thank this year’s international delegates for their thoughtful and insightful contributions to the session, “Synergies for Global Bi-directional Learning and Research.” Angelina Kakooza, MBChB, MMed, PhD; Fred Stephen Sarfo, MD, PhD, and Melody Asukile, BSc, MBChB, MMED, along with Bruce Ovbiagele, MD, and Deanna Saylor, MD, MHS, presented examples of bi-directional learning and research collaborations between academic neurologists and neuroscientists in Sub-Saharan Africa and the United States

ANA2022 President's Reception

A great time was had by all at the ANA2022 President’s reception! Attendees enjoyed socializing with old and new acquaintances as they dined on a delicious assortment of food choices while the fabulous music of a string quartet entertained and enthralled attendees. The room was ablaze with lively conversations which was a wonderful way to spend our final evening together!

ANA2022 Awardees

Finally, I’d like to congratulate all of the ANA2022 award recipients! We have many accomplished individuals among us and it’s incredibly gratifying to see them recognized among their peers. Please keep reading to learn more about all of our awardees.

Looking Ahead to ANA2023

As ANA2022 comes to a close we may now look forward to ANA2023 which will be held September 9-12, 2023, in the vibrant city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Planning for next year’s meeting will begin soon and we will rely on the feedback provided by attendees to shape the program. Please be sure to complete the evaluations so that your input is incorporated.

The future is bright for the American Neurological Association and I’m looking forward to continuing this exciting journey with each of you!

Best,