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Welcome New Faculty and APP’s!

Faculty
Andrea Bozoki, MD Andrea Bozoki, MD, will join us on September 1 as a Professor and Division Chief of Behavioral Neurology. Dr. Bozoki received her MD from the State University of New York Downstate in 1993. She completed an internship in internal medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center and her neurology residency at the University of Michigan in 1997. Additionally, Dr. Bozoki completed fellowships in cognitive neuroscience (1999) and integrated geriatrics (2001) at the University of Michigan and is board certified in neurology. She comes to us from Michigan State University where she has been a faculty member since 2001.
Jamie Capal, MD Jamie Capal, MD, joined us last May as an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology in the Child Neurology Division and has a dual appointment in Neurology and the Carolina Institute of Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Capal received her MD from Albany Medical College in 2006. She then completed a residency in pediatrics in 2008 and a combined residency in child neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities in 2012 from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center where she was then hired on as faculty from 2012 – 2020. She is board certified in pediatrics, pediatric neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Senyene Hunter, MD Senyene Hunter, MD, PhD, returned to us in July as an Assistant Professor in the Child Neurology Division. After receiving a PhD in biological chemistry in 2003, Dr. Hunter was a Postdoctoral Associate at Yale University from 2003 – 2005, and an Intramural Research Training Award Fellow for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences from 2005 – 2009. She then served as a Researcher for the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University from 2009 – 2014. Dr. Hunter received an MD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014, where she also completed her residency in pediatrics and child neurology in 2019. She recently completed a fellowship at Duke University in clinical neurophysiology in 2020.
Atif Sheikh, MD Atif Sheikh, MD, joined us in August as an Assistant Professor in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology. Dr. Sheikh received his MD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. He completed an internship in internal medicine in 2015, followed by his neurology residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in 2018. Dr. Sheikh also recently completed fellowships in epilepsy (2019) and clinical neurophysiology (2020) at Northwestern.
Nathan Walker, MD Nathan Walker, MD, started as an Assistant Professor in the Sleep Medicine Division in July where he completed a sleep fellowship this year. Dr. Walker received his MD from Saba University in 2013, and completed his internship in internal medicine at the Berkshire Medical Center in 2015. He completed his training as a resident in neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 2018. Dr. Walker is board certified in general neurology.
Qian-Zou (JoJo) Yang, MD Qian-Zhou (JoJo) Yang, MD, will join us in late August as an Assistant Professor in the Child Neurology Division. Dr. Yang received her MD from the University of California, San Francisco in 2014, followed by residencies in pediatrics (2016) and child neurology (2019), and a fellowship in pediatric epilepsy (2020) from Stanford University.
Advanced Practice Providers: Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (NSICU)
Madeline Greene Madeline Greene, AGACNP-BC, MSN, CCRN-CMC, joined the NSICU in August. Madeline received her BSN from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2011, and a MSN from Duke University in 2019. She is certified as a critical care registered nurse and joins us from UNC’s Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.
Christy Lewis Christy Lewis, AG-ACNP, ANP, MSN, RN, joined the NSICU in June. Christy received her BSN from James Madison University in 1993, and her MSN from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1997, where she received licensure as an adult nurse practitioner. She was the first NP in the Neuro ICU at Emory Hospital in 1998. She is a board certified adult and gerontology acute care nurse practitioner after completing training at the University of Colorado in 2016. Christy comes to us from Centura Health in Colorado where she was the stroke program manager.
No Photo Kelley Pruitt, AG-ACNP, MSN, CCRN joined the NSICU in June. Kelley received her BSN in 2006 and her MSN in 2018 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she trained as a board certified Adult and Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. She received certification as a critical care registered nurse in 2009. Kelley’s most recent position was as the clinical staff manager for the stroke and neuroscience center at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.

Departmental News

Black Lives WalkIn conjunction with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts of the UNC School of Medicine, volunteers from the department, led by Angela Wabulya, MD, are developing a comprehensive program to help ensure that DEI is an essential part of our culture. Since last June, 32 faculty, staff and residents have joined a DEI committee that is divided into two groups which meet monthly. The committee is creating a DEI framework that includes several overall goals along with corresponding action items. Watch for a special DEI newsletter in September that details the department’s DEI efforts. If you would like to join the committee, please contact Angela Wabulya.

Daniel Kaufer, MD
Daniel Kaufer, MD

The UNC Department of Neurology was deeply saddened by the loss of Daniel I. Kaufer, MD, who passed away on July 2, 2020. Dr. Kaufer was the founding director of the UNC Memory Disorders Program and the chief of the Memory and Cognitive Disorders Division. He was equally passionate about researching new treatments, educating residents and the general public, and caring for his beloved patients. To continue Dr. Kaufer’s legacy, three UNC funds have been set up in his honor. In addition, the Dementia Alliance has established the Dr. Daniel Kaufer Caregiver Conference and the Dr. Daniel Kaufer CARE Fund. Learn more about Dr. Kaufer’s life and watch the Department’s online memorial service.

Stroke AwardThe UNC Hospitals Comprehensive Stroke Center once again received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® Target: Stroke Honor Roll Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. The Center also received the Association’s Target: StrokeSM Elite, Target Stroke: Advanced Therapy, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll awards. Learn more >

Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation Charcot-Marie-Tooth Center of ExcellenceUNC Neurology is proud to announce its designation as a Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation Charcot-Marie-Tooth Center of Excellence under the direction of Rebecca Traub, MD. Learn more >


Honors & Awards

Jane Fan, MD, has been promoted to Professor of Neurology.

Graduates 2020UNC Neurology faculty and residents were honored during our virtual resident graduation ceremony in June. Congratulations to all honorees and graduates!

  • Faculty Teachers of the Year:
    • William Powers, MD – Adult Neurology
    • Michael Tennison, MD – Child Neurology
  • Resident Teacher of the Year: Steven Palmer, MD (graduate)
  • Peter Jacobson Award in Patient Care: Victor Lin, MD (graduate)
  • Kevin Robertson Clinical Research Award: Xiaoyang Li, MBBS-MD (PGY-3)

Jessica Werdel, MSN, ACNP, and Binta Diallo, RN, BSN, CNIII, CCRN, have been selected as fellows for the Duke-Johnson & Johnson Nurse Leadership Program.

Nina Browner, MD, and Jessica Shurer, MSW, LCSW, were awarded a Community Outreach Resource Education (CORE) grant through the Parkinson’s Foundation for the assessment phase of their UNC Parkinson’s Hospitalization Improvement Program.

Nathan Morgan, a senior EEG technologist, recently obtained his CLTM certification–the highest level of EEG certification–through the American Board of Registration of Electroencephalographic and Evoked Potential Technologists (ABRET).


Research & Publications

UNC Neurology is soliciting research funding requests for distributions from the Broyhill Child Neurology Research Fund. The fund supports up to $25,000 for one or two awards per year for a duration of up to two years. Awardees will be selected in October with a submission deadline of September 30, 2020. Please contact Rick Meeker, PhD, or Chon Lee, MD, with any questions or to discuss an idea prior to submission.  Application >

William Powers New England Journal of MedicineThe New England Journal of Medicine published “Acute Ischemic Stroke” by William J. Powers, MD, as part of its “Clinical Practice” series in the July 16 issue.

James F. Howard Jr., MD, along with other researchers published:

  • “The Clinical Features of LRP4/Agrin Antibody Positive Myasthenia Gravis: A Multi-center Study.” Muscle & Nerve, June 2020
  • “Response to: Eculizumab package insert recommendations for meningococcal vaccinations: call for clarity and a targeted approach for use of the drug in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.” CNS Spectrums, July 2020
  • Along with Rebecca Traub, MD: “Accuracy of the Scratch Collapse Test for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Comparison to Electrodiagnostic Studies.” Hand (NY), July 2020
  • Along with Manisha Chopra, MBBS: “Consistent improvement with eculizumab across muscle groups in myasthenia gravis.” Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, July 2020
  • Along with Manisha Chopra, MBBS: “Imbalance in T follicular helper cells producing IL-17 promotes pro-inflammatory responses in MuSK antibody positive myasthenia gravis.” Journal of Neuroimmunology, August 2020

Jui-Heng Tseng, Sheng Song, Aditi Ajit, Yen-Yu Ian Shih, Rick Meeker, and Todd J. Cohen along with other researchers published “The accumulation of tau-immunoreactive hippocampal granules and corpora amylacea implicates reactive glia in tau pathogenesis during aging.” iScience Journal, July 2020

Pocket Guide to Neurocritical CareWinnie Lau, MD, was an editor for the 2020 edition of “The Pocket Guide to Neurocritical Care.” Former neurocritical care fellow, Marin Darsie, MD, was an author and editor.


Presentations

James F. Howard, Jr, MD, presented via webcast:

  • “Emerging Therapeutic Strategies in the Treatment of Myasthenia Gravis with Anti-Complement and Anti-FcRn Molecules” at the China MG Forum, Chinese Neurological Society, Beijing, China, June 12, 2020
  • “Pathophysiology and Clinical Assessment of Myasthenia Gravis” at the UAE Expert Meeting on Myasthenia Gravis: Moving Forward in the Management of Refractory Myasthenia Gravis, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, July 4, 2020
  • “Soliris in the Management of Refractory” at the UAE Expert Meeting on Myasthenia Gravis: Moving Forward in the Management of Refractory Myasthenia Gravis, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, July 4, 2020

Jessica Shurer, MSW, LCSW, presented “Ask the Expert: Parkinson’s Caregiving during COVID-19” and “Summer Travel: Tips for Safe Trips” for the Parkinson’s Foundation’s new national PD Health @ Home Program.


Outreach

Nina Browner, MD, shares her expert perspective on how much weight to give to Parkinson’s disease rating scale numbers in this Parkinson’s Foundation podcast.

Dr. Diana Cejas articleDiana Cejas, MD, shares her story in an article published on the STAT website: To thrive, Black and Latinx physicians need their communities.

Daniel Kaufer, MD, recorded a video titled, “Frontotemporal degeneration: clinical diagnosis and treatment” for Neurodiem.

Did you know that the NC Registry for Brain Health now includes over 5,600 North Carolinians? Dr. Kaufer was on the executive board and passionate about its growth. The registry is designed to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and to connect NC residents to research opportunities. Check it out >

NC Registry for Brain Health


Events

HFTC 2018This year’s Head for the Cure 5K Run/Walk has gone virtual. We invite you to participate on Saturday, September 12 to help raise awareness and funds for brain cancer research. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the UNC Brain Tumor Program. To register >