AAN announces recipients of 2012 scientific research awards

Nearly two dozen scientific research awards are being bestowed on researchers around the world this year by the American Academy of Neurology, the world's largest association of neurologists. The awards will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21-28, 2012, at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

This year's recipients include:

Founders Award
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology Alliance.
Amer Ghavanini, MD, PhD / Toronto

S. Weir Mitchell Award
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology Alliance.
Nandakumar Narayanan, MD, PhD / New Haven, Conn.

Dreifuss-Penry Epilepsy Award
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by members of the Academy's Epilepsy Section; Abbott Laboratories, Inc.; Cephalon, Inc.; Cyberonics, Inc.; Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline; Novartis Pharmaceuticals; Ortho-McNeil Neurologics; Pfizer Inc; Shire US, Inc; and UCB Pharma.
Tobias Loddenkemper, MD / Boston

John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research
Presented by the American Academy of Neurology and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and made possible through a special contribution from the John Dystel Multiple Sclerosis Research Fund at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Richard Ransohoff, MD / Cleveland

Sheila Essey Award: An Award for ALS Research
Presented by the American Academy of Neurology and the ALS Association and supported through the philanthropy of the Essey Family Fund and the ALS Association.
Christopher Shaw, MBChB, MD, FRACP / London

Norman Geschwind Prize in Behavioral Neurology
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and the Academy's Behavioral Neurology Section and endowed through Dr. Geschwind's family, friends and colleagues; Pfizer Inc; and the Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology.
Marco Catani, MD / London

Mitchell B. Max Award for Neuropathic Pain
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by the United States Cancer Pain Relief Committee, the Mayday Fund and friends of Dr. Mitchell Max.
Howard Fields, MD, PhD / Emeryville, Calif.

Jon Stolk Award in Movement Disorders for Young Investigators
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by Kyowa Pharmaceutical, Inc., Lineberry Research, Quintiles and Dr. Dennis Gillings.
Pedro Gonzalez-Alegre, MD, PhD / Iowa City, Iowa

Medical Student Essay Awards
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology.

Extended Neuroscience Award
Matthew Elrick / Ann Arbor, Mich.

G. Milton Shy Award in Clinical Neurology
Tenneille Loo / Toronto

Roland P. Mackay Award
Jessica Shields / New Orleans

Saul R. Korey Award in Experimental Neurology
Mark Ziats / Houston

Movement Disorders Research Award
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, the Parkinson's Disease Foundation and the Academy's Movement Disorders Section and endowed by the Parkinson's Disease Foundation.
Caroline Tanner, MD, PhD / Sunnyvale, Calif.

Neuroscience Research Prize
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Neurology Foundation and the Child Neurology Society.
Sean Oh / Old Westbury, N.Y.
John Solder / Westport, Conn.
Christie Wang / Roslyn, N.Y.

Child Neurology Neuroscience Research Prize
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Neurology Foundation, and the Child Neurology Society.
Vincent Shieh / New York

Michael S. Pessin Stroke Leadership Prize
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by Dr. Pessin's family, friends and colleagues.
Natalia Rost, MD / Boston

Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick's, Alzheimer's, and Related Diseases
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, the American Academy of Neurology Foundation and funded through the philanthropy of the Potamkin Family.
Takeshi Iwatsubo, MD, PhD / Tokyo

Neuroendocrine Research Award
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and supported by friends of Andrew Herzog, MD.
Alison Pack, MD / New York

Research Award in Geriatric Neurology
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and the Academy's Geriatric Neurology Section.
Gil Rabinovici, MD / San Francisco

Bruce S. Schoenberg International Award in Neuroepidemiology
Endowed by GlaxoSmithKline, Inc.
Amir Hadi Maghzi, MD / Isfahan, Iran

Sleep Science Award
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and the Academy's Sleep Section and endowed by Cephalon, Inc.
Beth Malow, MD, MS / Nashville, Tenn.

Harold Wolff-John Graham: An Award for Headache/Facial Pain Research
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by Endo Pharmaceuticals.
Simon Akerman, MD / San Francisco

Wayne A. Hening Sleep Medicine Investigator Award
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by UCB, Inc., Lilly USA, Elite Home Medical & Respiratory, Inc., Raleigh Neurology Associates and friends of Wayne A. Hening, MD.
Jeffery Ellenbogen, MD, MMSc / Boston

Patient Safety Award
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology.
Justin T. Jordan, MD / Dallas
Katie Wiltshire, MD / Calgary, Canada