MossRehab founding director to receive Kessler Foundation's Joel A. DeLisa, MD Award

John Whyte, MD, PhD, is the 2012 recipient of Kessler Foundation's Joel A. DeLisa, MD Award for Excellence in Research and Education in the Field of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R). Dr. Whyte will be honored at the Foundation's Board of Trustees dinner in West Orange on May 10. The award includes a $50,000 unrestricted grant for Dr. Whyte's research activities.

Dr. Whyte is the founding director of Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute (MossRehab) in Philadelphia and leader of its Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program. He is also the director of Brain Injury Research at Drucker Brain Injury Center. "The Foundation is pleased to honor Dr. Whyte, who is internationally known for his role in advancing rehabilitation strategies that are improving outcomes for people with severe brain injury," said Rodger DeRose, president and chief executive officer of Kessler Foundation. "As a skilled clinician, researcher, author and teacher, he embodies the excellence that we recognize with Kessler Foundation's Joel A. DeLisa, MD Award."

Kessler Foundation created this award to honor Dr. DeLisa's many contributions to the field of PM&R. Dr. DeLisa is the founding director of Kessler Foundation Research Center, which under his leadership, developed into a center that is recognized around the world for physical and cognitive rehabilitation research and the training of young investigators. The annual award recognizes a leading physician or researcher who mentors and inspires young professionals and conducts research that can be quickly translated into improved patient care and treatment. "I've experienced Dr. DeLisa's academic contributions to the field of PM&R first hand for many years, so to receive this award is particularly meaningful to me," noted Dr. Whyte. "Helping to shape research on traumatic brain injury and being involved in training future rehabilitation researchers is fulfilling in itself. Receiving an award for them feels like icing on the cake."

The inaugural award was given in May 2011, to Walter Frontera, MD, PhD, formerly of the University of Puerto Rico and Harvard University.