Congratulations to Award winners
The Epilepsy Research Recognition Awards, considered the most prestigious prize for research in epilepsy, are given annually to active scientists and clinicians working in all aspects of epilepsy research. The awards are designed to recognize professional excellence reflected in a distinguished history of research or important promise for the improved understanding, diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. The award, in the amount of $10,000, is granted annually to one Basic Science and one Clinical Investigator. The Committee is happy to announce the Awardees for 2011 are Ivan Soltesz, Ph.D. and Kimford Meador, M.D.
Ivan Soltesz, Ph.D., recipient of the 2011 Basic Science Investigator Award, is Professor and Chair of Anatomy and Neurobiology in the School of Medicine at University of California, Irvine. He received his doctorate from the L. Eotvos University in Budapest and then conducted postdoctoral research at Oxford, London, Laval, Stanford and Dallas. Dr Soltesz established his independent laboratory at UC Irvine in 1995. He is a recipient of an NINDS Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award and the Michael Prize for basic epilepsy research, and was the co-founder of the Gordon Research Conference on Epilepsy.
Dr Soltesz has made a number of novel contributions to understanding the organization, function and plasticity of neuronal microcircuits in epilepsy. His research, employing closely integrated experimental and computational modeling techniques, has focused on the relative roles of cell loss and reactive axon sprouting after injury, the functional impact of ion channel and receptor plasticity, and the roles of aberrant hub-like neurons in epilepsy. In addition, Dr Soltesz wrote an acclaimed monograph on GABAergic microcircuits, co-edited a groundbreaking book on computational neuroscience in epilepsy, and his open source, freely available computational models of limbic circuits have been employed by labs all over the world to address complex questions in epilepsy as well as other disorders.
Dr Soltesz has been an active participant in AES, including service as Chair of the Basic Science Committee. He has served on the editorial board for several journals including the Journal of Neuroscience and Epilepsy Research. He is the Chair of the CNNT NIH study section, co-chair of the Epilepsy Foundation Research Grants and Fellowship review panel, and a member of the CURE scientific advisory board. He has trained a number of pre- and postdoctoral fellows, including MD/PhD students, in various epilepsy-related projects.
Kimford J. Meador, M.D., recipient of the 2011 Clinical Investigator Award, is Professor of Neurology at Emory University, and Director of Epilepsy and Director of Clinical Neuroscience Research. Dr. Meador graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Applied Biology (with high honor) and received his MD from the Medical College of Georgia. After an internship at the University of Virginia and service as an officer in the Public Health Corps, he completed a residency in Neurology at the Medical College of Georgia and a fellowship in Behavioral Neurology at the University of Florida. Dr. Meador joined the faculty at the Medical College of Georgia (1984-2002) where he became the Charbonnier Professor of Neurology. He was the Chair of Neurology at Georgetown University (2002-2004) and the Melvin Greer Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at the University of Florida (2004-2008), where he served as Director of Epilepsy Program and Director of the Clinical Alzheimer Program. He joined the faculty of Emory University in 2008. Dr. Meador has authored over 300 peer reviewed publications. His research interests include: cognitive mechanisms (e.g., memory and attention); cerebral lateralization; dementia; pharmacology and physiology of cognition; mechanisms of perception, consciousness and memory; EEG; epilepsy; preoperative evaluation for epilepsy surgery; intracarotid amobarbital procedure (i.e., Wada test); functional imaging; therapeutic drug trials; neurodevelopmental effects of antiepileptic drugs; psychoimmunology; behavioral syndromes (e.g., aphasia and neglect); neuropsychiatric disorders. Dr. Meador is on the editorial boards for Clinical Neurophysiology, Epilepsy and Behavior, Epilepsy Currents, Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology, Neurology, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, and Epilepsy.com. His honors include research and teaching awards, Fellow of the American Neurological Association, past Chair of the Section of Behavioral Neurology of the American Academy of Neurology, past President of the Society for Behavioral & Cognitive Neurology, and past President of the Southern EEG & Epilepsy Society.
You can hear Drs. Soltesz and Meador speak about their research on Monday, December 5th at 8:30am during their 30 minute Keynote Addresses. Be sure to honor them at the award presentation on Saturday, December 3rd at 1:00 p.m., immediately prior to the Presidential Symposium.
The William G. Lennox Award is the Society’s most prestigious professional award and is funded by the William G. Lennox Trust Fund. The Fund was established in 1962 to advance and disseminate knowledge concerning epilepsy in all of its aspects – biological, clinical and social, and to promote better care and treatment for persons with epilepsy. This award, in the amount of $10,000, was established to recognize members of the Society, usually at a senior level, who have a record of lifetime contributions and accomplishments related to epilepsy.
AES is proud to present the 2011 Lennox Award to Martin J Brodie, MBCHB, MRCP, MD, FRCP. Prof Brodie has directed the Epilepsy Unit in the Western Infirmary, in Glasgow, Scotland since 1981. He and his team provide a range of services for people with seizure disorders across the West of Scotland. He qualified in Medicine at Glasgow University in 1971 and undertook his postgraduate training in London before taking up his present post. His research interests include antiepileptic drug neuropharmacology, randomised clinical trials, prognostic outcome studies, management of epilepsy and factors affecting drug response. Professor Brodie has published more than 400 books, editorials, chapters, reviews, proceedings and articles in peer reviewed journals. He was secretary and then chair of the Commission on European Affairs of the International league against Epilepsy from 1993 until 2001. He was treasurer of the organisation from 2005 until 2009, having previously been a vice-president from 2001. He set up and chairs the Board of Trustees of the charity, Scottish Epilepsy Initiative. Martin Brodie has been appointed “Ambassador for Epilepsy” on behalf of the International League against Epilepsy and the International Bureau for Epilepsy. He was recently given the European Epileptology Award by the Commission on European Affairs of the International League against Epilepsy and The Epilepsy Lifetime Service Award by its UK chapter.
You can honor Prof. Brodie by attending the award presentation on Monday, December 5th at 9:00 a.m., immediately prior to the Merritt-Putnam Symposium.
The J. Kiffin Penry Excellence in Epilepsy Care Award honors a clinician’s lifelong focus on and genuine concern for the patient with epilepsy. This award recognizes those whose work has had a major impact on patient care and improved the quality of life for persons with epilepsy as well as recognizing excellence in the care of persons with epilepsy.
Patricia Dean, M.S.N., ARNP is the recipient of the 2011 J. Kiffin Penry Excellence in Epilepsy Care Award. She received her BSN from Downstate Medical Center and her MSN from the University of Miami. She has been taking care of children with epilepsy and their families for over 20 years at the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center of Miami Children’s Hospital. Ms. Dean has been involved in every aspect of nursing care of the pediatric epilepsy patient. She presently co-ordinates care at one of the largest pediatric epilepsy programs in the Southeast. She has helped many families through their hospitalizations, seizures, surgeries and various other trials.
She has been an avid volunteer in the Epilepsy movement. She has worked extensively with the Foundation at both the national and local level. She served on the Professional Advisory Board and the Board of Directors of the National Epilepsy Foundation. She is currently the President of the Board of Directors of the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida. She has received awards for her service from both the local chapter and national office. She was appointed in 1990 to the Governor’s Task Force on Epilepsy and continues to act as an advocate for people with epilepsy at the State Legislature. She is well known in the Florida Epilepsy community for her work with the camp program. Pat was instrumental in establishing a camp program for children with epilepsy in 1986 that continues to flourish today. Because of her efforts and dedication, many children were able to have an experience that they would not have otherwise known.
Pat is also an active member of AES. She served as chair of the Professionals in Epilepsy Care Committee. She served on the Education Counsel and the Annual Meeting Committee and served as a Co-Chair on the Safety in the EMU-committee. She has authored and co-authored numerous publications on various topics in Pediatric Epilepsy.
Ms. Dean will receive her award on Saturday, December 3rd at 3:30 p.m., immediately prior to the AET Symposium.
The AES Service Award recognizes outstanding service in the field of epilepsy (including non-educational and non-scientific) and exemplary contributions to the welfare of the AES and its members.
Michael A. Rogawski, M.D., Ph.D., recipient of the 2011 Service Award, is professor and chair of the Department of Neurology at the University of California, Davis. Until 2006, he was senior investigator and chief of the Epilepsy Research Section at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Dr. Rogawski received his B.A. from Amherst College, and M.D. and Ph.D. (pharmacology) from Yale University. After serving as a postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Neurophysiology, NINDS, he completed residency training in neurology at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Rogawski’s research encompasses cellular neurophysiological studies of ion channels (with a focus on the mechanisms of action of antiepileptic drugs); animal models of epilepsy; and clinical studies on new treatments for seizures and epilepsy. His laboratory studies on AMPA receptors and neurosteroids have led to new epilepsy treatment approaches. Dr. Rogawski has received the NIH Director’s Award and the Epilepsy Research Award from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. Dr. Rogawski has served on the editorial boards of Epilepsia and Epilepsy Research as well as several other journals. He has been a member of advisory panels to the National Institutes of Health; he has been a member of the scientific advisory board of Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE); and he serves in an advisory capacity as a special government employee to the Food and Drug Administration.
Dr. Rogawski played a major role in creating the concept for Epilepsy Currents, which published its inaugural issue in November 2001, and in the transition of the journal to the self-publishing model that occurred in 2011. He has served as an associate editor or chief editor of Epilepsy Currents during the 10 years of its existence. He also has served in a number of other capacities for AES, including as a member (1995–1997) and chair (1996–1997) of the Scientific Program Committee; as chair of the Technology Committee (1999–2003); as a member of the Long-Range Planning Committee (1992–1994); and as member and chair of the Publications Committee (2005–2006). Dr. Rogawski presented the William G. Lennox Lecture on “The Future of Epilepsy Therapy” at the 2009 AES Annual Meeting in Boston.
You can congratulate Dr. Rogawski at the award presentation on Saturday, December 3rd at 8:45 a.m. immediately prior to the Hoyer Lecture.