Musical Moments for MS honors Kessler Foundation expert with Medical Excellence Award

John DeLuca, PhD, Vice President for Research and Training at Kessler Foundation, was named this year's recipient of the Medical Excellence Award by Musical Moments for MS. Dr. DeLuca will be honored at the 10th Anniversary of Musical Moments for MS on Tuesday, December 11 at NJPAC in Newark, NJ. This major event, which stars Olivia Newton-John, benefits the New Jersey Metro Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Neurological Institute of NJ at New Jersey Medical School. Also being honored are Richard Lyon, Executive Vice President Commercial Real Estate, Capital One Bank (Corporate Excellence Award) and Leslie Donato, Vice-President and General Manager, Neurology & Hematology, Bayer HealthCare (Humanitarian Award).

"I am honored to accept this award, which acknowledges the importance of cognitive research to rehabilitation of people with MS," remarked Dr. DeLuca. "Cognitive symptoms that hinder the ability to think learn and remember are common in MS. These deficits, which are often overshadowed by physical symptoms, are a significant cause of disability. At Kessler Foundation, we seek to keep people active, engaged, and employed by developing better ways to restore and maintain cognitive function."

Dr. DeLuca specializes in research of disorders of memory and information processing in MS and TBI. His collaborative work in cognitive rehabilitation research extends to Italy, Spain, and China. He has obtained more than 27 million dollars in grant funding to support his work. He has authored more than 250 articles, books, and chapters and is the editor of five recent books, including the first Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. He often presents at national and international conferences and contributes to continuing education for professionals and consumers.

John DeLuca, PhD, oversees Kessler Foundation's renowned rehabilitation research in brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and stroke. The Foundation is widely known for its research training programs, which receive funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research, and the Craig Neilsen Foundation.