Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Symposium*
Date: October 19, 2026
Time: 1:15 pm to 3:30 pm
Room: Pacific Jewel Ballroom
Track: Plenary
Session Description
The Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Symposium provides a platform for emerging researchers to present groundbreaking work in neurology and neuroscience. The symposium will feature presentations from the 2026 Derek Denny-Brown Award recipients, as well as honorees of the Grass Foundation–ANA Award in Neuroscience, the Audrey S. Penn Lectureship, and the Wolfe Research Prize for identifying new causes or novel treatments of neuropathy and related disorders.
In addition, recipients of the Distinguished Neurology Teacher Award, the ANA-Persyst IDEAS Professional Development Award, the ANA IDEAS Early Career Member Award, and the ANA Awards for Excellence will be recognized during the symposium.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to:
- Describe emerging research trends and novel scientific advancements in neurology and neuroscience.
- Recognize the contributions of award-winning research and leadership in advancing clinical practice, education, and professional development in neurology.
- Apply insights from cutting-edge research presentations to inform future research directions, clinical practice, and academic engagement.
Speakers
- (Chair) Richard Mayeux, MD, MSE, FANA
- (Co-Chair) Lisa Merlin, MD, FANA
- (Speaker) Erin Conrad, MD, MA
- (Speaker) Stephan Züchner, MD, PhD
- (Speaker) Deanna Saylor, MD, MHS, FAAN, FANA
- (Speaker) Adrienne Boire, MD, PhD, FANA
- (Speaker) Evangelos Kiskinis, PhD, FANA
- (Speaker) Eric Landsness, MD, PhD
- (Speaker) Olajide Wiliams, MD, MS, FANA
- (Awardee) Jonathan P. Williams, MD, MSCR
- (Awardee) Sashank Prasad, MD, FANA
The Interictal Network as a Window into Epilepsy (2026 Grass Foundation – ANA Award in Neuroscience)
Description
Although seizures define epilepsy clinically, patients spend the vast majority of their lives in an interictal state, a persistent yet incompletely understood pathological condition that reflects ongoing dysfunction within epileptic brain networks. Characterizing this dynamic state offers new opportunities to improve diagnosis, guide treatment, and better understand the mechanisms underlying epilepsy.
This presentation will examine the interictal state as a measurable and dynamic substrate of epilepsy through quantitative analyses of scalp and intracranial electroencephalography (EEG) combined with electrical stimulation. Participants will explore three complementary areas of investigation: the use of interictal spikes and network connectivity to localize epileptogenic tissue without relying on seizure capture; the development of quantitative interictal EEG features as objective biomarkers of disease severity and antiseizure medication response; and the application of electrical stimulation as a causal probe of network excitability. Topics will also include how these approaches are advancing the understanding of epileptic networks and supporting precision management of epilepsy.
Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of the clinical significance of the interictal network and practical insights into applying interictal EEG biomarkers and network analyses to surgical planning, treatment monitoring, and neuromodulation strategies.
Past, Present, and Future: The Role of Genomics in Elucidating Peripheral Neuropathies (2026 Wolfe Research Prize for Identifying New Causes or Novel Treatment of Neuropathy and Related Disorders)
Description
Advances in genomic technologies have revolutionized the diagnosis and understanding of inherited peripheral neuropathies, transforming a clinically heterogeneous group of disorders into genetically defined diseases with increasing potential for precision medicine. These discoveries are reshaping disease classification, improving diagnostic accuracy, and driving the development of targeted therapies.
This presentation will examine the evolving role of genomics in elucidating peripheral neuropathies, highlighting how advances in genetic sequencing and molecular technologies have transformed the diagnosis, classification, and understanding of these disorders. Participants will review key discoveries that have expanded knowledge of disease mechanisms, discuss the integration of genomic testing into clinical practice, and explore how these advances are paving the way for targeted therapies, gene-based treatments, and innovative clinical trials. Topics will also include future directions in genomic medicine and their implications for personalized care.
Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of the transformative impact of genomics on peripheral neuropathy research and clinical care, along with practical insights into how emerging genetic discoveries are shaping the future of diagnosis, treatment, and therapeutic development.
Multiple Sclerosis in Africa: Changing Paradigms and Improving Diagnosis and Access to Care (2026 Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Award - Physician-Scientist Clinical)
Description
The understanding of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Africa has evolved significantly in recent years, driven by growing recognition of the disease, expanded research efforts, and improvements in diagnostic capabilities. Despite this progress, substantial challenges remain in achieving timely diagnosis, building specialized neurological care infrastructure, and ensuring equitable access to disease-modifying therapies across diverse healthcare settings.
This presentation will explore emerging research on multiple sclerosis across Africa, highlighting advances that are reshaping current paradigms of disease recognition and management. Participants will review recent epidemiologic and clinical findings, examine initiatives to improve diagnostic capacity and strengthen neurological care infrastructure, and discuss strategies to expand access to treatment in resource-limited settings. The session will also address the importance of international collaboration, workforce development, and health system innovation in improving outcomes for individuals living with MS throughout the continent.
Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of the evolving landscape of multiple sclerosis in Africa and practical insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with improving diagnosis, expanding access to care, and advancing health equity in resource-limited settings.
Inflammatory Signaling in the Leptomeninges (2026 Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Award - Physician-Scientist Basic)
Description
Leptomeningeal metastasis is a devastating complication of advanced cancer, arising when malignant cells invade the cerebrospinal fluid and leptomeningeal space. Understanding how cancer cells adapt to this unique neurological environment is critical for developing more effective strategies to prevent and treat metastatic disease within the central nervous system.
This presentation will explore the mechanisms by which cancer cells invade and adapt to the leptomeningeal space, highlighting discoveries from studies of clinical specimens and preclinical mouse models. Participants will review the neuroanatomy and physiology of leptomeninges, examine how the metabolic environment of the leptomeningeal space drives cancer cell reprogramming, and discuss the inflammatory and pathological processes that contribute to neurological dysfunction in leptomeningeal metastasis. Topics will also include the implications of these findings for the development of targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and strategies to prevent metastatic disease in the nervous system.
Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying leptomeningeal metastasis and practical insights into how advances in tumor biology and inflammatory signaling may inform future therapeutic approaches for metastatic cancers affecting the central nervous system.
TDP-43 Loss of Function as a Convergent Driver of ALS Pathophysiology (2026 Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Award - Neuroscientist.)
Description
Abnormalities in TDP-43 are a defining pathological feature of most cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), yet the mechanisms by which loss of its normal nuclear function contributes to neurodegeneration are only beginning to be understood. Advances in human genetics, stem cell biology, and molecular neuroscience are providing new insights into the role of TDP-43 dysfunction in disease pathogenesis and identifying novel opportunities for targeted therapeutic intervention.
This presentation will examine the emerging role of TDP-43 loss of normal nuclear function as a central driver of ALS. Participants will review recent discoveries from human induced pluripotent stem cell models and patient-derived tissues demonstrating how TDP-43 dysfunction disrupts RNA processing, leading to pathogenic splicing alterations that impair neuronal function and contribute to selective neuronal vulnerability. Topics will also include advances in identifying genetically informed therapeutic targets, the development of RNA-based therapies and biomarkers, and the translation of mechanistic discoveries into precision medicine approaches for ALS.
Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms linking TDP-43 dysfunction to ALS pathophysiology and practical insights into how advances in RNA biology and translational neuroscience are shaping the future of biomarker development and targeted therapies.
Inducing a Torpor-Like State Through Targeted Preoptic Circuit Activation Protects the Brain After Stroke (2026 ANA Rising Star Award)
Description
Reducing metabolic demand has long been recognized as a potential strategy for limiting brain injury following ischemic stroke. Recent advances in neuroscience have identified hypothalamic thermoregulatory circuits capable of inducing a torpor-like hypometabolic state, offering a novel approach to neuroprotection beyond conventional therapeutic hypothermia.
This presentation will explore how targeted activation of preoptic hypothalamic circuits induces a torpor-like hypometabolic state that protects the brain following ischemic stroke. Participants will examine the neural mechanisms underlying thermoregulation and metabolic suppression, review preclinical evidence demonstrating reduced ischemic brain injury through circuit activation, and discuss the translational potential of these findings for the development of innovative stroke therapies. Topics will also include emerging opportunities to harness endogenous neuroprotective pathways to improve outcomes after acute brain injury.
Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of the role of hypothalamic thermoregulatory circuits in neuroprotection and practical insights into how targeted modulation of these pathways may lead to new therapeutic strategies for ischemic stroke.
Health Disparities: A Historical and Contemporary View Through the Lens of Stroke (2026 Audrey S. Penn Lectureship Award)
Description
Despite remarkable advances in stroke prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, stroke remains a leading cause of death and disability in the United States, with persistent racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in incidence, treatment, and outcomes. Understanding the historical and structural factors that contribute to these inequities is essential for developing effective, equitable strategies to improve cerebrovascular health.
This presentation will examine the historical and contemporary drivers of stroke disparities, tracing the evolution of inequities from 1619 to the present and exploring how structural racism influences stroke risk through social determinants of health, social risk factors, and downstream biological mechanisms. Participants will review current epidemiologic evidence, implementation science, and community-engaged research that have advanced understanding of these pathways while highlighting randomized clinical trials that have improved vascular risk factor control, health literacy, emergency stroke response, and outcomes in underserved populations. Topics will also include practical, evidence-based approaches that neurologists and other clinicians can implement to reduce disparities through clinical practice, health system innovation, and community partnerships.
Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of the historical and structural factors that drive stroke disparities and practical strategies for advancing equitable stroke prevention, improving access to high-quality care, and reducing inequities in cerebrovascular health outcomes.
Awardee Remarks
