{"id":7447,"date":"2019-10-10T16:13:19","date_gmt":"2019-10-10T20:13:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/neurology\/?p=7447"},"modified":"2022-12-05T11:54:48","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T16:54:48","slug":"neurology-news-october-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/neurology\/neurology-news-october-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Neurology News – October 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome new Faculty and APP\u2019s!<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
FACULTY<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Gwenn<\/td>\n<\/td>\nGwenn Garden, MD, PhD<\/a>, joined UNC Neurology as the department chair in August. Dr. Garden comes to us from the University of Washington where she was serving as the Vice Chair of the Department of Neurology. Garden completed her undergraduate education at Northwestern University and received her MD and a PhD in Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Washington. Following residency training and a research fellowship at the Brigham and Women\u2019s Hospital and the Longwood Neurology Training Program, Garden joined the faculty at the University of Washington in 2000. Learn more ><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Matthew<\/td>\n<\/td>\nMatthew Field Sharrock, MD<\/a>, is an assistant professor of neurology in neurocritical care. Dr. Sharrock received his MD from the University of Illinois and finished his residency at the University of Kansas in 2017. Last June, he completed both research and clinical fellowships in neurocritical care at Johns Hopkins University. His research is focused on improving the accuracy and limiting the uncertainty in critical measurements at inflection points in the course of patient care. Dr. Sharrock is board certified in neurology.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Jorge<\/td>\n<\/td>\nJorge L. Almod\u00f3var-Su\u00e1rez, MD<\/a>, joined the Division of General Neurology in July as an associate professor. Dr. Almod\u00f3var-Su\u00e1rez received his MD at the University of Puerto Rico, interned in internal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University, and finished his residency training at Boston University. He completed a fellowship in clinical neurophysiology at the University of Rochester in 2011, and moved on to the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine where he was an assistant professor of neurology, medical co-director of the MDA clinic, medical director of the EEG laboratory and ALS clinic, and neurology residency site coordinator. Dr. Almod\u00f3var-Su\u00e1rez is board certified in neurology and neurophysiology.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Steven<\/td>\n<\/td>\nSteven P. Trau, MD<\/a>, is an assistant professor with the Child Neurology Division. Dr. Trau received his MD from Emory University and interned in general pediatrics at Eastern Virginia Medical School. He continued at EVMS for a residency in general pediatrics and then completed a child neurology residency at Duke University. Dr. Trau is board certified in general pediatrics.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

ADVANCED PRACTICE PROVIDERS<\/span><\/p>\n

Erin Carrier, LCSW,<\/strong> is the new social worker for the Division of Epilepsy. Erin completed a BA in English from the College of William and Mary in 1993, and a Master of Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill in 2007.<\/p>\n

Margaret Macomson, AGNP,<\/strong> recently joined the Division of General Neurology. She received her BS in finance and international business management from UNC Wilmington. She later received a BS in nursing from UNC Greensboro in 2015, and a Master of Nursing from Duke University in 2018.<\/p>\n

The Division of Neurocritical Care has four new members:<\/p>\n

Kathryn Roach, MSN, APRN, AGACNP-BC<\/strong>, graduated from Belmont University in 2012 with a BS in biology. She received a MS in nursing from Vanderbilt University in 2018.<\/p>\n

Nathan Steiner, MSPAS, PA-C<\/strong>, received a BS in biology in 2014, and an MS in physician assistant studies in 2016 from the University of Mount Union.<\/p>\n

Blythe Strickland, MS, AGACNP, RN, CCRN<\/strong>, graduated with a BS in nursing from Cedar Crest College in 2004, and an MS in nursing from Georgetown University in 2017.<\/p>\n

Jessica Werdel, MSN, ACNP,<\/strong> received a BS degree in nursing from the University of Rhode Island in 2006, and a MS in nursing from Duke University in 2011.<\/p>\n

\n

Department News<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Winnie Lau, MD,<\/strong> assumed responsibilities as the Associate Program Director for the Adult Neurology Residency program on October 7.<\/p>\n

Rhonda Cadena, MD<\/strong>, will serve as Interim Chief for the Division of Neurocritical Care upon Dr. Dedrick Jordan\u2019s departure at the end of 2019.<\/p>\n

\"Quality<\/a>The UNC Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery are recruiting patients and caregivers to serve on the Patient and Family Advisory Council<\/a> as part of our Quality Improvement program.\u00a0Contact Caroline Kegerreis at caroline_kegerreis@med.unc.edu<\/a>\u00a0for more information.<\/p>\n

UNC Neurology is hiring<\/strong> and we welcome your referrals. Ask potential candidates to visit this web page<\/a> for links to all available faculty, advanced-practice provider, research and staff opportunities.<\/p>\n

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Grants \/ Gifts \/ Honors<\/span><\/h3>\n
\"Hillsborough
UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

UNC Neurology is proud to announce the establishment of the Bodford Family Transverse Myelitis Center <\/strong>thanks to a generous gift from the Alvin M. Bodford family. Projected to open this fall on the UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus, the Center will offer a multidisciplinary team of experts who will develop an individualized treatment strategy for each patient. Future plans for the Center include clinical research, patient education, and professional training on all aspects of transverse myelitis care. Irena Dujmovic Basuroski, MD<\/strong>, will staff the clinic one day a week.<\/p>\n

Todd Cohen, PhD<\/strong>, and his lab were awarded a Department of Defense ALS grant to study a drug that may treat ALS in an animal model. The award is for $500,000 over two years in collaboration with NC State investigator, Dr. Michael Bereman.<\/p>\n

NIH HEAL Initiative grant recipient Weili Lin, PhD,<\/strong> will lead a $524,813 project to enhance outcomes for infants and children exposed to opioids in multiple ways. Learn more ><\/a><\/p>\n

James F. Howard, Jr, MD<\/strong>, was selected as one of the winners of the EAN Investigator Award 2019 for his presentation at the 5th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology in Oslo, Norway.<\/p>\n

Carolyn Zook Lewis, <\/strong>MSN, CPNP-PC\/AC, PMHS,<\/strong> and ketogenic dietician, Jennifer Wills-Gallagher, wrote and received a $1,400 grant from Carolina for the Kids.\u00a0The funds are being used to provide supplies to families of children who are starting the ketogenic diet.<\/p>\n

The Kevin Robertson Clinical Research Award<\/strong> was created last July in memory of Kevin Robertson Ph.D. An award of $500 will be given annually to the UNC Neurology resident judged by the award committee to have undertaken the best clinical research project. To contribute, please visit: http:\/\/uncmedicine.org\/robertsonmemorial<\/a>.<\/u> Professor emeritus Colin Hall, MD<\/strong> wrote this remembrance<\/a> of his dear friend and colleague.<\/p>\n

Rhonda Cadena, MD<\/strong>, was elected into the Society of Critical Care Medicine Neuroscience Steering Committee.<\/p>\n

Congratulations to our Employee of the Month <\/strong>award recipients! Thank you for all that you do for the department!<\/p>\n