Two neurologists recognised with top academic honour

Medicopolitical

By Michael Woodhead

15 Oct 2020

Two neurologists and three neuroscientists are among 28 new Fellows elected to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences in recognition of their outstanding contributions to health and medical research.

The new Fellows will be admitted at the Academy’s sixth annual meeting on 14-16 October, under the leadership of President Professor Ingrid Scheffer, a paediatric neurologist and epileptologist at the University of Melbourne and Florey Institute

The new fellows include Professor Carolyn Sue, Executive Director of the Kolling Institute and a neurologist recognised nationally and internationally for her role in mitochondrial disorders and Parkinson’s Disease.

According to the Academy, her research has led to improved diagnosis and treatment of mitochondrial diseases and identified the prevalence of mitochondrial DNA mutations in the Australian community.

Another new fellow is NSW neurologist Professor Steve Vucic, Director of Neurophysiology Institute at Westmead Hospital. Professor Vucic is recognised as a clinical academic and internationally recognised researcher in the field of neuroscience with an emphasis on understanding amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathogenesis.

“His key discoveries relating to identification of “cortical hyperexcitability” as an important pathophysiological mechanism in ALS have transformed the understanding of ALS, resulted in novel therapeutic approaches and led to development of pharmacodynamic biomarkers,” the Academy says

Other Fellows include:

  • Professor Julie Bernhardt, a physiotherapist and Deputy Director of the Stroke Division at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, who is a world leader in stroke rehabilitation.
  • Professor Mary Galea, a neuroscientist at the University of Melbourne whose  research program into injury of the corticospinal pathways has contributed substantially to the global quest to understand how to promote repair, regeneration and recovery of the nervous system after injury.
  • Distinguished Professor David Adams is CEO and Executive Director, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and a leader in membrane physiology and neuroscience research, who has helped characterise novel peptides isolated from the venom of cone snails as probes for ion channel function, and as potential non-opioid drugs for the treatment of chronic neuropathic and visceral pain.

Professor Scheffer said the new Fellows elected to the Academy represent the nation’s “best brains in health and medicine.”

“We are delighted to welcome these 28 Fellows who will help us continue to deliver on this purpose and contribute to tackling our nation’s worst health crisis in a generation,” she said.

“The diverse talents and expertise of these Fellows reflects the incredible breadth and depth of Australia’s world class health and medical research. It is this solid base of expertise that has equipped the country to address the pandemic so successfully.”

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