MOUNT LAUREL, NJ, August 24, 2020 — The American Neurological Association (ANA), the professional organization representing the world’s top academic neurologists and neuroscientists, has announced the winners of its 2020 scientific awards, to be presented during the 145th ANA Annual Meeting, which will be held virtually from October 4 - 9, 2020.
These prestigious awards recognize leaders in academic neurology and neuroscience who have exemplified excellence in research, teaching, and clinical practice across the breadth of clinical neurology and neuroscience disciplines.
“The individuals recognized this year reflect incredible advancements in translational neuroscience and the neurobiology of disease, all conducted under extraordinarily difficult circumstances due to the wide-reaching effects of the coronavirus pandemic,” said ANA President Justin C. McArthur, MBBS, MPH, Director of Johns Hopkins Department of Neurology, and Professor of Neurology. “We hope that this recognition will inspire the awardees to even greater achievements and encourage a new generation of physician scientists to pursue careers that bring research and teaching together with clinical practice.”
Each year, the ANA Annual Meeting convenes more than 900 of the world’s leading academic neurologists and neuroscientists to share ground-breaking research and updates on the diseases and conditions that affect more than 100 million Americans, including stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, neuromuscular disorders, headache, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and more. This year, the organization’s members also added to the body of research on the potential neurological connections associated with the novel coronavirus.
As a result of the global pandemic and concern for its members’ wellbeing, the ANA announced it would convene virtually in an interactive format that will foster the networking and mentoring that is integral to this annual event. The ANA Awards will be bestowed during the Annual Meeting to the following distinguished research physicians:
Lectureships
The Raymond D. Adams Lectureship honors Dr. Raymond D. Adams, emeritus Bullard Professor of Neuropathy at Harvard Medical School and emeritus Chief of Neurology Service at the Massachusetts General Hospital.
- Awarded to: Peter Arthur Calabresi, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine
- Presentation Title: “Oligodendrocyte precursor cells present antigen and are cytotoxic targets in inflammatory demyelination”
The F.E. Bennett Memorial Lectureship was begun in 1979 to recognize outstanding neuroscientists.
- Awarded to: Michelle Monje, MD, PhD, Stanford University
- Presentation Title: “Neuronal regulation of brain tumor pathobiology”
The Soriano Lectureship was established in 1987 by ANA member Dr. Victor Soriano and his wife to acknowledge a “brilliant lecture delivered by an outstanding scientist” who is also a member of the Association.
- Awarded to: Sonja W. Scholz, M.D. Ph.D., National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes/National Institutes of Health
- Presentation Title: “Genomic Approaches Paving the Way for Precision Neurology”
Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholars
The Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Awards are clinical awards given each year during the Annual Meeting to new members of the association who have achieved significant stature in neurological research, and who show promise and will continue making major contributions to the field of neurology. This year there are two recipients for the Award in Basic Science:
The Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Award in Basic Science
- Awarded to: Aimee W. Kao, MD, PhD, University of California, San Francisco
- Presentation Title: “Aging, Lysosomes and Neurodegenerative Disease.”
- Awarded to: Joshua M. Shulman, MD, PhD - Baylor College of Medicine
- Presentation Title: “Functional Genomics of Alzheimer's disease”
The Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Award in Clinical Science
- Awarded to: Sheng-Han Kuo, MD, Columbia University
- Presentation Title: “Cerebellar Circuitry of Essential Tremor”
Research & Teaching Awards
The George W. Jacoby Award was established in 1943 by Dr. George W. Jacoby and is presented triennially to a member of the American Neurological Association who has done some especially meritorious experimental work upon any neurologic or psychiatric subject.
- Awarded to: David H. Gutmann, MD, PhD, FAAN, FANA, Washington University School of Medicine
- Presentation Title: “Immune system cell regulation of brain tumor pathobiology”
The Grass Foundation-ANA Award in Neuroscience established in 2007, honors outstanding young investigators conducting research in basic or clinical neuroscience.
- Awarded to: Eoin Flanagan, MBBCh, Mayo Clinic
- Presentation Title: “Improving the Diagnostic Precision in Autoimmune Myelopathies and their Mimics”
The Wolfe Neuropathy Research Prize was established in 2009 by Mr. Winston Wolfe and the ANA to honor outstanding investigators who identify a new cause or novel treatment of axonal peripheral neuropathy.
- Awarded to: Brian C. Callaghan, MD, MS, University of Michigan
- Presentation Title: “Dietary Weight Loss May Halt Progression of Polyneuropathy in Patients with Obesity”
The Distinguished Neurology Teacher Award recognizes and rewards contributions by gifted and talented teachers of neurology. Nominees come from the entire field of clinical neurology or neuroscience.
- Awarded to: Ann Poncelet, MD, FAAN, University of California, San Francisco
About ANA2020
The 145th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association (ANA2020) will be held virtually from October 4 - 9, 2020 with a pre-conference Career Development Symposium on Friday, October 2, 2020 and a special Social Justice Symposium October 3, 2020. More than 900 of the nation’s top academic neurologists and neuroscientists, as well as students, trainees, and international professionals, will convene virtually to share research at the forefront of neurology and neuroscience.
This year’s annual meeting features a Presidential Symposium on “Leveraging Digital Technologies in Neurology” and plenary sessions highlighting Targeting Glia for Therapy: Mediators of Neuroinflammation, Degeneration and Repair; Genomics of Personalized Medicine, Microenvironment Control of Brain Tumor Pathogenesis. New at the Meeting this year is the ‘Emerging Scholar Lectures’ series, designed exclusively for junior and early career annual meeting attendees. These sessions provide the opportunity for junior and early career members to present in front of a full virtual audience amongst their peer group. A detailed Advance Program is online at https://2020.myana.org
Follow the meeting live using #ANA2020 on Twitter @TheNewANA1, on Facebook @AmericanNeurologicalAssociation, or on Instagram @ananeurology.
ABOUT THE ANA
The American Neurological Association is a professional society of academic neurologists and neuroscientists devoted to advancing the goals of academic neurology; to training and educating neurologists and other physicians in the neurologic sciences; and to expanding both our understanding of diseases of the nervous system and our ability to treat them.
For more information, visit www.myana.org or follow @TheNewANA1 on Twitter, @AmericanNeurologicalAssociation on Facebook, or @ananeurology on Instagram.