May 3, 2025, Filed Under: carousel, NewsRegister for the 6th Annual Practical Pediatric Neuroscience Symposium The sixth annual Practical Pediatric Neuroscience Symposium will be held this Saturday, May 17, at Dell Children’s with virtual access. The target audience is general pediatric practitioners who care for children with a wide range of neurological disorders. This free event will feature several interactive presentations by pediatric neurosciences faculty members on a broad range of topics. Each presentation will provide specific techniques and evidence-based recommendations for diagnosis and management. Register online now or scan the QR code below.
October 4, 2024, Filed Under: carousel, NewsWelcome, Dr. Kevin Kumar Join us in giving a warm Texas welcome to Kevin Kumar, MD, PhD, pediatric neurosurgeon and assistant professor of neurosurgery at Dell Med. Dr. Kumar specializes in the treatment of pediatric brain and spine tumors, vascular malformations, developmental anomalies, and epilepsy. Dr. Kumar graduated cum laude with distinction in research from Cornell University and received his MD and PhD from Vanderbilt University’s National Institutes of Health–funded Medical Scientist Training Program. His dissertation focused on investigating neuronal manganese regulation in Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease using high-throughput screening, induced pluripotent stem cells, and chemical biology approaches. He was a member of Aaron Bowman’s laboratory in the Vanderbilt Brain Institute. Dr. Kumar completed his neurosurgery residency at Stanford University, where he served as chief resident. He completed an NIH NINDS R25-funded research fellowship in the laboratory of Marius Wernig in the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, where he developed a platform to replace microglia in the brain as a novel therapy for neurodevelopmental disorders. He completed his pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. At Dell Med, Dr. Kumar launched his research laboratory to develop novel cellular-based therapeutics for pediatric neurological disorders. He has published over 35 peer-reviewed scientific articles and given over 30 presentations at national and international meetings. He has received multiple awards, including the Donald O. Quest Medical Student Basic Science Award by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Elaine Sanders-Bush Neuroscience Research Prize from the Vanderbilt Brain Institute, the John G. Coniglio Prize in Biochemistry from Vanderbilt University, the Edwin Boldrey Young Investigator Award from the San Francisco Neurological Society, the Philip L. Gildenberg Resident Award from the AANS, and the Resident Basic Science Research Award from Stanford University. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, the North American Neuromodulation Society, and the Society for Neuroscience. Welcome to Austin, Dr. Kumar!
August 29, 2024, Filed Under: carousel, News16 Faculty Members Receive 2024 Dell Med Teaching Awards Rosario DeLeon, PhD Congratulations to our very own Rosario DeLeon, PhD, pediatric neuropsychologist and assistant professor of neurology, for winning this year’s Susan M. Cox, M.D. Academy Teaching Health Equity Award! This award recognizes Dell Med faculty members who have excelled in teaching about health equity. Additionally, many of our pediatric neuroscience faculty members received a GME Clinical Learning Environment Award from Dell Med. These 15 individuals received near-perfect (4.9 or 5.0) cumulative resident teaching scores for the year based on their ability to create a positive environment for learning and the patient experience: Kristen Arredondo, MD Glendaliz Bosques, MD Cliff Calley, MD Sireesha Chinthaparthi, MD Stephen R. Deputy, MD Daniel Freedman, DO Duriel Hardy, MD Samantha Irwin, MSc, MB BCh BAO Kristina Jülich, MD Manikum Moodley, MD Sara Pavitt, MD Steve Roach, MD Ashley Stanley-Copeland, MD Vandana Vedanarayanan, MD Vettaikorumakankav “Veda” Vedanarayanan, MD Dell Med will honor these recipients in an awards ceremony on September 30, with a keynote address presented by Dean Claudia Lucchinetti, MD. Thank you for your outstanding contributions to medical education!
May 4, 2024, Filed Under: carousel, NewsClarke Honored as Kozmetsky Family Endowed Chair Dave F. Clarke, MD Dave F. Clarke, MD, is the inaugural recipient of the Kozmetsky Family Endowed Chair in Pediatric Epilepsy in recognition of his years of leadership, service, and research in the field of epilepsy. The position is funded by the Kozmetsky Family Foundation, a philanthropic investor whose trustees established it after their son benefited directly from Dr. Clarke’s care. This is the first endowed chair within our program. Dr. Clarke was honored with a dinner awards ceremony on April 4 in downtown Austin. Read the official announcement.
April 13, 2024, Filed Under: carousel, NewsRegister for the 5th Annual Practical Pediatric Neuroscience Symposium Saturday, May 18, 20248:30 a.m – 2:50 p.m. CT (check-in at 8 a.m.)Dell Children’s Medical CenterSigne Auditorium4900 Mueller Blvd.Austin, TX 78723 UT Health Austin Pediatric Neurosciences at Dell Children’s invites you to the 5th Annual Practical Pediatric Neuroscience Symposium. Designed for general pediatric practitioners, this event will feature interactive presentations by our faculty members, with topics ranging from concussion to emerging gene therapies for neuromuscular disease. Each presentation will provide specific techniques and evidence-based recommendations for diagnosis and management of neurological conditions commonly encountered by the general pediatrician. Registration is available for in-person or virtual attendance. Information on continuing medical education credits, conflicts of interest, and all other event details are available on the registration site. Agenda Topics How Do We Serve the Less Well Served? Epilepsy Outreach, Dave Clarke, MDInfantile Spasms: Recognition and Management Updates, Kristen Arredondo, MDPediatric Neurosurgery for the General Practitioner, Elizabeth Tyler-Kabara, MD, PhDMigraine in the Pediatric Population: Emerging Treatment, Sara Pavitt, MDPrematurity: Neurodevelopmental Outcomes and Management, Leah Ferrante, MDIdentifying Psychotherapy Needs for Children with Neurological Disorders, Lindsey Elliott, PhDClinical Pearl: When Flintstones Aren’t Enough, Emily Ramirez, DOClinical Pearl: Late-Onset Dyslexia?, E. Steve Roach, MDPediatric Concussion, Cynthia Austin, PhDIntroduction to Adaptive Sports, Faheem Mahomed, MDDoes My Patient Have Neuromuscular Disease?, Vettaikorumakankav “Veda” Vedanarayanan, MD
March 2, 2024, Filed Under: carousel, NewsPediatric Neurosciences Hosts First Annual IMPRES Conference IMPRES panel discussion moderated by Dave Clarke, MD, with panelists (L to R) Ahmed Abdelmoity, MD, Priscilla Duong, PhD, and Sandi Lam, MD, MB The Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Center, in collaboration with Lurie Children’s Hospital and Corewell Health, presented the first Innovative Minds: Pediatric Research in Epilepsy Surgery (IMPRES) Conference held February 16-18 at the Hotel Van Zandt in downtown Austin. The IMPRES program focused on evidence-based research on pediatric epilepsy surgery and highlighted collaboration between pediatric epilepsy centers and programs. The national conference featured six sessions and 25 presentations on topics including the process of identifying surgical patients, surgical techniques, medical and dietary management, and adult transition. Each session concluded with moderated panel discussions. Rick Boop, MD, emeritus chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, former chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and a member of the St. Jude Global Program, delivered the keynote lecture on the history of epilepsy surgery. This year’s conference organizers were pediatric neurosciences faculty members Dave Clarke, MD, and Elizabeth Tyler-Kabara, MD, PhD; Sandi Lam, MD, MBA, of Lurie Children’s Hospital and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; and Daniel Arndt, MD, of Corewell Health. Planning is now underway for the second IMPRES conference. M. Omar Iqbal, MD, Rick Boop, MD, and Sandi Lam, MD, MBA, at an IMPRES reception
February 26, 2024, Filed Under: carousel, NewsSave the Date: 5th Annual Practical Pediatric Neuroscience Symposium UT Health Austin Pediatric Neurosciences at Dell Children’s invites you to the 5th Annual Practical Pediatric Neuroscience Symposium on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Designed for general pediatric practitioners, this event will feature interactive presentations by several of our faculty members, with topics ranging from concussion to emerging gene therapies for neuromuscular disease. Each presentation will provide specific techniques and evidence-based recommendations for diagnosis and management of neurological conditions commonly encountered by the general pediatrician. Registration for this hybrid event (in-person or virtual attendance) is free. Preregister now to be notified when registration is open. LocationDell Children’s Medical CenterSigne Auditorium4900 Mueller Blvd., Austin, TX 78723 Agenda Topics Access to epilepsy careAdaptive sportsConsulting a neurosurgeonEmerging gene therapies for neuromuscular diseaseIdentifying psychologists for patients with neurological disordersInfantile spasmsNeurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infantsNew-onset learning and attention problemsNew treatments for headache disordersPediatric concussionVitamin-responsive neurological disorders
February 13, 2024, Filed Under: carouselClinical Neurophysiology Fellow Publishes Vitamin-Dependent Genetic Disorders Review Emily Ramirez, DO Kristina Julich, MD Clinical neurophysiology fellow Emily L. Ramirez, DO, mentored by geneticist James Gibson and neurogenetics program chief Kristina Julich, MD, recently published a thorough review of the vitamin-responsive genetic disorders of childhood. Most neurologists are familiar with well-known disorders such as pyridoxine dependency and biotinidase deficiency, but Ramirez and colleagues also discuss many less well-known conditions, providing detailed information about each disorder’s clinical presentation, diagnosis, and optimal treatment. Not to be confused with simple vitamin deficiencies, vitamin-dependent disorders are genetic conditions that can be effectively treated with pharmacological doses of a vitamin. Vitamins play a critical role in neurologic, endocrinologic, psychiatric, developmental, and hematologic processes. Vitamins serve as cofactors for one or more enzymes, and for selected genetic disorders, supplementation with a key vitamin cofactor can dramatically alleviate the clinical manifestations of these conditions. Several vitamin-responsive conditions exist, and lifelong vitamin supplementation is generally the only effective therapy. This practical guide to a challenging but highly treatable group of genetic disorders is conveniently synthesized in a single article. Read “Vitamin-Dependent Genetic Disorders of Childhood” in Pediatrics in Review.
February 3, 2024, Filed Under: carousel, NewsRoach Inducted into Shine Academy of Health Science Education E. Steve Roach, MD E. Steve Roach, MD, has been elected to membership in The University of Texas System Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., Academy of Health Science Education. Roach was nominated for Shine Academy membership by Dell Medical School Dean Claudia Lucchinetti, MD, who cited his innovative biomedical writing skills workshop, numerous medical textbooks, clinical teaching awards, resident curriculum development projects, and years of service as a medical journal editor. “Dr. Roach has inspired generations of students, trainees, and faculty through his rigorous teaching and mentorship,” said David Paydarfar, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Neurology at Dell Medical School. “He is a role model in medical education, teaching others as a master clinician and medical scholar, skillfully translating knowledge to clinical practice.” Named for former Institute of Medicine President Kenneth I. Shine, MD, the academy promotes excellence in health science education by recognizing outstanding educators and advancing knowledge and innovation in medical education through project grants. Each year the academy inducts a limited number of outstanding health science educators and leaders from the eight UT System health care institutions. Nominations for membership may come from a university president, dean, or faculty senate at any of the system’s health care facilities.
January 17, 2024, Filed Under: carousel, NewsFour Faculty Members Named Castle Connolly 2024 Top Doctors Jane Edmond, MD Elizabeth Tyler-Kabara, MD, PhD Louisa Keith, MD E. Steve Roach, MD We are proud to announce that four of our pediatric neuroscience providers were named Castle Connolly Top Doctors: Jane Edmond, MD; Elizabeth Tyler-Kabara, MD, PhD; Louisa Keith, MD; and E. Steve Roach, MD. Keith was also named a Castle Connolly Rising Star. Castle Connolly Top Doctors represent the top 7% of all U.S. practicing physicians and are peer nominated through surveys sent out to tens of thousands of doctors. Those results are rigorously vetted by a research team of Castle Connolly physicians based on several factors.
