association of indian neurologists in america tarang final.pdfsep 12, 2020 · 2019 neal parikh,...

Tarang Volume 6 | Issue 1 September 2020 1

W elcome to the Tarang, the Annual newsletter of the Association of Indian Neurologists in America. The Tarang complements our website (www.4aina.com) and monthly update emails in order to provide information about our organization, medical and professional topics, and upcoming professional meetings of interest to our readers. If you have any interesting events, awards, recognitions, activities to report about neurologist of Indian origin, please email a brief summary along with photographs to [email protected].

Dear colleagues:

Saying that we are living in uncertain times would be an understatement. We are living through a pandemic, of an unprecedented scale.

I am so proud to be in a profession where people come every day to serve others without concern for their own safety and wellbeing.

This pandemic resulted in the cancellation of the annual AAN meeting and also the annual AINA meeting. This pandemic is sui generis – a unique event in a century. It has and will result in many firsts including many virtual meetings including the ANA meeting this fall. In these times AINA will work to support our members and we would like your inputs on how can we best support you. A page on our website is being created to give updated information to our members regarding COVID-19 and Neurology.

We held a Virtual Awards Meeting on September 12, 2020 to celebrate and give out the awards that we usually do in our annual meeting. It was also be a time for us all to connect together as AINA members.

Our wonderful collaboration with the Indian Academy of Neurology will continue and grow. We have had to pause the Observership program due to COVID-19. But

we plan to resume this much appreciated program as soon as this situation is resolved. I am happy to announce that we already have 3 out of these 4 Observerships endowed by our members. We are also planning to have a section for medical students and one for the neurology residents and fellows to involve our younger members, who represent our future.

We will be starting a leadership series – a set of articles written to educate our younger members about leadership, particularly in the field of Neurology. We hope and wish that many more of them can become leaders in the field of Neurosciences.

Our commitment, to run free medical camps in India and to figure out how we could serve those most in need in the USA, remains strong. We are diligently working towards this goal. We hope to share some action steps in the next annual meeting.

I look forward to when we can meet in person in 2021. And again, I feel so proud of each one of you for your service to those most in need. In this hour of great challenge and uncertainty your courage and commitment will help us resolve this global crisis.

Sanjay P. Singh, MD, FAAN, FANA AINA President

President’s Message

ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN NEUROLOGISTS IN AMERICA Tarang...

IN THISISSUE

President’s Message .......................1

Lifetime Achievement Award ........................... 2

2019 Annual Meeting Highlights ............... 2-3

2020 Trainee Award Winners .......... 4

Epilepsy Meeting Recap ........................... 5

New Members ........... 5

Neurologists in the News ............ 6-7

2 Tarang Volume 6 | Issue 1 September 2020

ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN NEUROLOGISTS IN AMERICA

Dr. Ram Ayyar was given the 2019 AINA Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Ram Ayyar shared comments with the audience reflecting on his career, thanking his mentors, and sharing his hopes for the growth for the future of AINA. He spoke about the importance of mentorship having the opportunity to train more than 70 fellows who now occupy prestigious positions around the world. Dr. Ayyar is Emeritus Professor of Neurology at the University of Miami, has published over 100 papers in peer reviewed journals, and over the last three decades has worked closely with the Rosensteil Marine School at the University of Miami studying Ciguatera food poisoning. Dr. Ayyar was actively involved in the early stages of the formation of AINA.

Highlights from the 2019 AINA Annual Meeting

Prakash Kotagal, MD, FAAN, FAES received his medical degree from the University of Madras, India. He trained in Pediatrics at St. Louis University, Pediatric Neurology at Cleveland Clinic Foundation, followed by

fellowship training in Clinical Neurophysiology & Epilepsy at the Cleveland Clinic as well as Sleep Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. He is Professor of Neurology at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and Staff Physician at Cleveland Clinic in the Pediatric Epilepsy Section.

Dr. Kotagal is an author on 122 papers, 17 editorials/letters and 41 book chapters. He also edited the textbook: The Epilepsies: Etiologies & Prevention. His research interests include: Pediatric Epilepsy and Epilepsy Surgery, Seizure Semiology, Neurostimulation,

New Antiepileptic Drugs and the Relationship between Sleep & Epilepsy.

Dr. Kotagal served as Associate Editor for the Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology and is on the editorial boards of several journals. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society. He is President-elect of the Association of Indian Neurologists in America (AINA).

Personal Note of Thanks:

I am indeed very grateful to be chosen for the AINA Lifetime Achievement Award. More than any one individual, this award highlights the work of AINA members in advancing patient care, teaching and research by neurologists of Indian origin in the United States, India and elsewhere. AINA extends sincere congratulations to Dr. Kotagal for his lifetime of great work!

In 2007, the AAN Foundation partnered with the Association of Indian Neurologists in America (AINA) to create an award recognizing those who have been committed to advancing the Indian neurologic community. The AINA presented the AAN Foundation Chair Austin Sumner, MD, with a $50,000 check to endow the award.

The AINA Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a leader in neurology by her/his peers. The recipient will be a North American neurologist chosen based on her/his dedication in advancing the training of North American neurologists of Indian origin and promoting innovation and research in the field of neurology. The recipient will have supported Indian neurologists over a significant period of time in achieving meaningful progress toward expressed goals.

AINA 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award Prakash Kotagal, MD, FAAN, FAES Past Recipients of

the AINA Lifetime Achievement Award

2019 Ram Ayyar, MD

2018 Vinay Chaudhry, MD

2017 Kapil Sethi, MD, FRCP, FAAN

2016 Mark Hallett, MD

2015 Pradeep Sahota, MD, FAAN, FAASM, FAES

2014 Avindra Nath, MBBS, FAAN

2013 Sakkubai Naidu, MD, FAAN

2012 Thomas R. Swift, MD, FAAN

2011 Omkar N. Markand, MBBS, MD, FRCP(C), FACP, FAAN

2010 Sudhansu Chokroverty, MD, FAAN

2009 Shrikant Mishra, MD, FAAN

2008 Walter G. Bradley, DM, FRCP, FAAN

2019 Featured Speaker – David Holtzman, MD – American Neurological Association President 2017-2019

The 2019 Annual Meeting Featured Speaker was Dr. David Holtzman. He joined attendees to discuss Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. He provided an update on how we practically approach the disease and dramatic changes in the next 15-20 years. Dr. Holtzman was the president of the American Neurological Association (2017-2019) and is recognized as one of the leading authorities on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.



Highlights from the 2019 AINA Annual Meeting continued...

2019 Neurology Practice Update – Dr. Raghav Govindarajan, University of Missouri Health Care

The 2019 Annual Meeting invited Dr. Raghav Govindarajan to share a neurology practice update that was entitled: A Treatment for Adult Patients with Anti-Acetylcholine Receptor (AChR) Antibody Positive Generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG). Dr. Govindarajan shared updates to the engaged attendees regarding the treatment and understanding the symptoms, diagnosis, and impact. Dr. Govindarajan is an Assistant Professor of Neurology, Associate Medical Director Neurology Clinic and Sleep Disorders Clinic, ALS Association Certified Center of Excellence Director, MDA Care Center Director, AANEM Certified Center of Excellence EMG Lab Director, and Clerkship Director at the University of Missouri Health Care, Columbia.

• • • Photos from the Annual Meeting 2019 • • •



AINA Members publish research paper on Mechanical Thrombectomy Using Retrievable Stents in Pediatric Acute Ischemic Stroke

Sandra Narayanan, MD – Co-Chair of the 17th Annual Society of Neurolnterventional Surgery (SNIS)

A research paper on Mechanical Thrombectomy Using Retrievable Stents in Pediatric Acute Ischemic Stroke was published in July 2019 by AINA Members and those in India. Visit indianpediatrics.net/july2019/571.pdf to read the paper.

Join Dr. Narayanan at the 17th Annual Society of Neurolnterventional Surgery (SNIS) Meeting in August 2020 in San Diego, CA. Dr. Narayanan joined the Department of Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in October 2019.

2020 AINA Neurology Trainee Awards Announced AINA is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 AINA Neurology Trainee Awards. There were over 15 abstracts that were reviewed this year. The process was very competitive to determine the final winners. These winners were presented during the Virtual AINA Awards Meeting on September 12, 2020.

1st Place

Shashank Agarwal, MD PGY-4 Neurology Resident, NYU Langone Health, NYU School of Medicine

Abstract Title: Association Between Functional Outcomes of Stroke Patients Receiving Mechanical Thrombectomy and CT Perfusion Imaging Acquisition

2nd Place

Kanika Sharma, MD PGY-4 Neurology Resident, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics

Abstract Title: Forecasting Multiple Sclerosis Hospitalization and Healthcare Burden in the United States from 2017 to 2040

3rd Place

Aravind Ganesh, MD Fellow, University of Calgary’s Department of Clinical Neurosciences

Abstract Title: Physician Approaches to Anti-thrombotic Management of Patients with Acutely Symptomatic Carotid Stenosis Awaiting Endarterectomy or Stenting: A Mixed Methods Study

Congratulations to these winners! What great work being showcased by these individuals, as well as all of the trainee abstracts. An exciting time in Neurology!

AINA Trainee Awards HistoryIn keeping with AINA’s mission of advancing the training of neurologists and promoting research, the AINA Executive Committee has instituted the AINA Trainee Award for the annual meeting. The first awards were given at the 2013 annual meeting at San Diego, CA. Residents or Fellows of Indian origin currently enrolled in a training program in North America, who

are registered for the AINA annual meeting, and who are the 1st or senior author of an abstract presentation at the current year’s American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, are eligible to apply for this award. The 1st place recipient will receive a check for $500, free Life Membership (valued at $500) and a recognition certificate at the AINA meeting.

Past Recipients of the AINA Trainee Awards

2019 Neal Parikh, Dr. Aravind Ganesh, (Runner ups) Drs. Shamik Shah, Parneet Grewal, Saurav Das.

2018 Dr. Aravind Ganesh, Dr. Aaron Desai, Dr. Lakshman Arcot Jayagopal

2017 Vamshi Krishna Sai, Balasetti, Deepak Gupta, Vasu Saini, Apratim Chatterjee

2016 Shivam Mittal, Ajay Goenka, Rajbeer Sangha

2015 No award submissions

2014 Dr. Rajbeer Sangha Dr. Partha Ghosh Dr. Monika Mishra

2013 Dr. Pavan Bhargava Dr. Srikant Rangaraju Dr. Wazim Mohamed



AINA Epilepsy Meeting – December 2019

AINA-Epilepsy had their 11th Annual meeting on December 8th in Baltimore, during the American Epilepsy Society Meeting.

About 100 attendees were present at the meeting, both from the United States and India. The meeting discussed important issues regarding collaboration between US epileptologists, it also discussed other issues important to the Epilepsy communituy here in the US. US-India collaboration was also discussed. The

leaders of the Indian Academy of Neurology and the Indian Epilepsy Society attended the meeting. They spoke highly of the current collaboration between AINA & IAN, particularly the Observership Training Program for young Indian neurologists. This program has been much appreciated in India. The efforts to plan the service projects for the underserved here in the US and in India were also reviewed at the meeting.

Become a Member of AINA!AINA is a dynamic organization that was set up to bring together neurologist of Indian origin for a common goal of promoting patient care, teaching and research. Your feedback into the ongoing efforts of the association to achieve this goal is extremely important to us. For any feedback about the

organization, website, newsletter or your wish to contribute, please email below or use the link through the AINA website.

Association of Indian Neurologists in America (AINA) C/O 563 Carter Court, Suite B, Kimberly, WI 54136 USA Email: [email protected] | Web: www.4aina.com

AINA Welcomes New Life Members*These individuals are new members since May 1, 2019.

Michael Abraham, MD

Madhureeta Achari, MD

Chandana Chauhan, MD

Soundarya Gowda, MD

Nabeel Herial, MD

Lynn Kataria, MD

Sachin Kedar, MD

Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD

Prakash Kotagal, MBBS

Nirav Patel, MD

Ravi Patel, MD

Jyoti Pillai, MD

Aashit Shah, MD

Nilay Shah, MD

Shashank Shekhar, MBBS

Amit Shelat, DO

Andrew Xavier, MD

Sridhara Yaddanapudi, MD



Dr. Rohan Arora, director of stroke at Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Forest Hills, has been elected as a Fellow of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA), one of the world’s most eminent organizations of cardiovascular and stroke professionals. This prestigious fellowship recognizes physicians, scientists and health care professionals who have made a major contribution to the field of cerebrovascular diseases.

To be considered for the AHA/ASA fellowship, a candidate must make meritorious contributions in stroke by meeting the following criteria: a demonstrated ongoing interest and contributions after completed training in cerebrovascular disease through research, education or care of stroke patients; authored work in stroke publications over the past 24 months; proven leadership in the stroke community; trained stroke physicians or allied health care professionals; participated in stroke presentations at national, local or international level; and, provided significant volunteer service to the AHA/ASA.

Dr. Shafali Jeste, was selected to receive the 2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Jeste is a pediatric neurologist and an associate professor of psychiatry, neurology and pediatrics in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Her research is focused on developing more precise methods for early prediction and diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, using biomarkers and other genetic information, with the ultimate goal of improving the timing and targets of treatments for these conditions. She has designed studies to aid in the early prediction of autism, including autism related to the genetic disorders tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and dup15q syndrome.

Neurologists of Indian Origin in the NewsDr. Seemant Chaturvedi and Dr. Pooja Khatri have been appointed as Associate Editors for the journal STROKE by the incoming editor-in-chief Dr. Ralph Sacco. STROKE is an official journal of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Dr. Chaturvedi is Greenebaum Endowed Professor of Neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Dr. Pooja Khatri, MD, is the Director of the Acute Stroke Program for the University of Cincinnati Stroke Team and Professor of Neurology at University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

Congratulations to the new AUPN Delegates to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Council of the Faculty and Academic Societies (CFAS): Sanjay P. Singh, MD, FAAN, FANA, Chair of Neurology at Creighton University School of Medicine, and Jun Li, M.D. Ph.D., Chair of Neurology at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.

AINA Board member and Stroke neurologist Dr. Prachi Mehndiratta, Asst. Professor of Neurology at University of Maryland School of Medicine, received the Golden Hammer award from the Neurology residents for excellence in teaching.

Dr. Shyam Prabhakaran, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University of Chicago, and Dr. Bijoy Menon, Associate Professor and Heart and Stroke Foundation Professor in Stroke Imaging at the University of Calgary, have been appointed as Assistant Editors for the journal Stroke.

Congratulations to the following AINA Members who received an Annual Award from the AAN!

Balajil Krishnaiah, MD - A.B. Baker Teacher Recognition Award Raghav Govindarajan, MD, FAAN - A.B. Baker Teacher Recognition Award Abhimanyu Mahajan, MD, MHS - Alliance Awards: Founders Pria Anand, MD - Neuro-Infectious Disease Award

Dr. Gurdesh Bedi and Dr. Seemant Chaturvedi attended the 2020 American Academy of Neurology’s Neurology on the Hill. Dr. Bedi shared that the day was “invigorating, educational and humbling at the same time.” AAN’s Neurology on the Hill took place February 25, 2020, and is a yearly event to help advocate for patients and neurology.

AINA recognized Dr. Gagandeep Singh and Dr. Nirmal Surya for their outstanding contributions to the vital collaboration between the Indian Academy of Neurology and AINA and for their contributions to the field of Neurology.

Dr. Abhimanyu Mahajan, a fellow in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine’s Division of Movement Disorders, has been named to receive the Alliance Award: Founders from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The award is designed to

encourage clinical and translational research in neuroscience by physicians in clinical neurology training programs. Mahajan will be recognized for research that looked at the effect of co-existent cancer on the onset and progression of Parkinson’s disease using clinical data from the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute’s Movement Disorders Center from 2013 to 2019.”



Dr. Seemant Chaturvedi and Dr. Dileep Yavagal serve as faculty in Srinivasan NIMHANS Knowledge Conclave

Drs. Chaturvedi and Yavagal spoke at a comprehensive stroke update in Bengaluru and Chennai. The program also marked the 40th TS Srinivasan oration, which will be delivered by former AAN President Ralph Sacco, MD.

Neurologists of Indian Origin in the News continued...

AINA Executive Committee member Dr. Seemant Chaturvedi received the Stewart J. Greenebaum Endowed Professor of Stroke Neurology position at a recent Investiture ceremony held at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Chaturvedi is pictured with Neurology Department Chairman Dr. Peter Crino (left) and SOM Dean Dr. Albert Reece (right).

Dr. Janardhan received the 2019 SVIN (Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology) Award. This award recognizes its members for their substantial service, outstanding contribution, training, mentoring, and innovative leadership in the field of vascular and interventional neurology.

Dr. Janardhan received this award at the SVIN Annual Meeting held in Atlanta, Georgia, November 20-23, 2019.

Dr. Janardhan is the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Insera Therapeutics, Inc. He is the co-inventor of Insera’s portfolio of medical devices for the prevention and treatment of acute ischemic stroke (aka brain attacks), hemorrhagic stroke (aka brain bleeds), brain aneurysms, and peripheral vascular disease. He currently holds 65+ issued and allowed U.S. and worldwide patents with 15+ patents pending in the U.S. and worldwide.

Dr. Dheeraj Khurana received the Stroke Rehabilitation Award in Los Angeles at the International Stroke Conference.

Dr. Kevin Sheth from Yale University co-authored the AHA/ASA acute stroke guideline update that was published October 30th online. Dr. Sheth is the Chief, Division of Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology; Associate Chair, Clinical Research, Department of Neurology; Director, Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit at Yale School of Medicine & Yale New Haven Hospital. Congratulations to Dr. Sheth!

association of indian neurologists in america tarang final.pdfsep 12, 2020 · 2019 neal parikh,...

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