July 29, 2026, Filed Under: carousel, NewsPediatric Neurosciences Hosts Third Annual IMPRES Conference Keynote speaker Carter Snead III, MD, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto The Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Center at UT Health Austin Pediatric Neurosciences at Dell Children’s hosted the third Innovative Minds: Pediatric Research in Epilepsy Surgery (IMPRES) Conference in collaboration with Lurie Children’s Epilepsy Center from June 26–28 at Hotel Van Zandt in downtown Austin. The international conference brought together experts from around the world to share evidence-based research in pediatric epilepsy surgery and strengthen collaboration among pediatric epilepsy centers and programs. Interactive neurosurgery breakout session demonstrating XR visualization The conference began Friday evening with a welcome reception and live local music. Sessions on Saturday and Sunday included 23 presentations on topics ranging from the evolution of the epileptologist in epilepsy surgery to bilingual functional testing, with each session followed by a moderated panel discussion. Dell Medical School assistant professor of neurosurgery M. Omar Iqbal, MD, also led an interactive neurosurgery breakout session on Saturday. Welcome reception at Geraldine’s featuring Austin’s Aaron Stephens Band Thank you to our program’s presenters; our planning committee members and organizers; our dedicated volunteers; and our talented pediatric neurosciences multimedia team, all of whom helped make this year’s conference a success. View the conference photos. Dell Medical School neurology professor Dave Clarke, MD, speaking in the Palliative vs. Curative panel session
June 13, 2026, Filed Under: carousel, Lead Story, NewsSitton Presents at National NICU Nurse Conference, Elected to Hope for HIE Medical Board Neonatal neurology nurse navigator Mandy Sitton, BSN, RN, was invited to speak at The ONE Conference, a national conference for NICU nurses, held in Las Vegas from May 4-6. She presented “It Takes One: Reimagining Continuity and Advocacy in Neonatal Neurologic Care—The NeuroNICU Navigator Role” as the opening speaker on May 5. Mandy was also recently elected to the Medical Advisory Board for Hope for HIE, a global organization dedicated to supporting children and families affected by hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Mandy is credited with developing one of the first NICU neurology nurse navigator roles in the US.
June 11, 2026, Filed Under: carousel, Lead Story, NewsNeurosurgery Program Designated Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network Quality Center Pediatric neurosurgeon M. Omar Iqbal, MD Congratulations to our pediatric neurosurgery program for being officially recognized as a Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network Quality center. The Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network aims to dramatically improve the lives of children with this life-threatening condition through critical, multicenter clinical research. HCRNq is an expanded network of the HCRN that focuses specifically on quality improvement. Consisting of 32 participating centers with over 6,800 enrollees, it was established to minimize surgical complications and standardize perioperative practices, with a focus on shunt infection prevention. Our neurosurgery program is the only HCRNq-designated center in Central Texas.
June 2, 2026, Filed Under: carousel, Lead Story, NewsFaculty Explores Medical Ethics Through Holocaust Immersive Program Daniel Freedman, DO, and Kristina Jülich, MD, in Germany This May, Dell Medical School pediatric neurologists Daniel Freedman, DO, and Kristina Jülich, MD, joined a group of Dell Medical School students and faculty to pilot an immersive learning experience in Germany and Poland exploring the role of medical ethics in the Nazi atrocities and the enduring responsibility of physicians to serve patients with integrity. Led by Dell Medical School pediatric psychiatrist Claire Selinger, MD, the trip was cosponsored by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and the Center for Medicine after the Holocaust. Through visits to historical sites and thoughtful discussions, participants reflected on the ethical obligations of physicians, the consequences of abandoning those principles, and the importance of applying those lessons in patient care today. Main entrance to Auschwitz II–Birkenau
May 26, 2026, Filed Under: carousel, Lead Story, NewsProgram Hosts Seventh Annual Practical Pediatric Neuroscience Symposium Lori Xu, MD, presenting on pediatric stroke updates Cindy Hernandez, MD, MS, discussing down syndrome regression disorder Each spring, our program hosts a practical pediatric neuroscience symposium aimed at enhancing general pediatric practitioners’ understanding of pediatric neurological conditions. The seventh annual symposium on May 2 featured presentations from 11 faculty members on topics ranging from pediatric migraine updates to CNS infections associated with vaccine-preventable diseases. Each interactive session offered practical techniques and evidence-based guidance for diagnosis and management, with an emphasis on the role of interprofessional teams in improving patient outcomes and quality of life. This full-day, CE annual event is free and open to anyone who registers. Recorded presentations and slides are posted in the weeks following the symposium.
May 20, 2026, Filed Under: carousel, NewsNeuro-Oncology Program Hosts First Annual Family Night Pediatric neurosurgeons Omar Iqbal, MD (L) and Elias Rizk, MD, PhD (R) with neuro-oncology colleagues at Thinkery In support of Brain Tumor Awareness Month, the Dell Children’s neuro-oncology team, including Dell Medical School neurosurgery faculty members Omar Iqbal, MD, and Elias Rizk, MD, PhD, welcomed patients and families to the first annual Neuro-Oncology Family Night on May 9 at Thinkery, an educational children’s museum in Austin. Families enjoyed an evening of hands-on exhibits, creative play, shared meals, and time together outside the hospital. This event was just one way our growing neuro-oncology program is building a supportive community for children and families facing incredibly difficult diagnoses. A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who helped make the evening possible—your dedication and compassion are making a lasting difference for our patient families every day.
May 18, 2026, Filed Under: carousel, Lead Story, NewsKumar Recognized as Austin Under 40’s Medicine & Healthcare Winner Join us in congratulating pediatric neurosurgeon Kevin Kumar, MD, PhD, the 2026 Medicine & Healthcare winner for Austin Under 40. Dr. Kumar joined the faculty of Dell Medical School as an assistant professor of neurosurgery in 2024 after completing his MD and PhD at Vanderbilt University’s National Institutes of Health-funded Medical Scientist Training Program, his residency in neurological surgery at Stanford University, and his pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at Stanford. His research lab at UT Austin is dedicated to advancing the field of pediatric neurosurgery, with a primary focus on brain tumor research and development of cellular therapeutics. He was awarded a K12 in Clinical and Translational Science from the National Institutes of Health in 2025 and was recently appointed surgical director of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at Dell Children’s.
May 8, 2026, Filed Under: carousel, Lead Story, NewsHardy Receives Dell Children’s Trust Grant Duriel Hardy, MD, at the annual Dell Children’s Trust dinner Assistant neurology professor and pediatric neuroimmunologist Duriel Hardy, MD, was recently awarded a 2026 Dell Children’s Trust grant focused on improving the transition of care for patients with neuroimmune disorders. Dr. Hardy, one of five finalists selected to present at the Trust’s annual dinner in April, established the Dell Children’s neuroimmunology transition of care program and will use the grant funding to expand the program and support related research. This includes ongoing work examining transition-of-care readiness among youth, building on findings published earlier this year in the Journal of Child Neurology. Dell Children’s Trust is a collective of advocates and philanthropic ambassadors who have funded more than $5.4 million in grants supporting over 120 hospital initiatives, touching the lives of millions of children and families throughout Texas.
May 1, 2026, Filed Under: carousel, Lead Story, NewsWelcome, Serena! Serena G. Garcia, PA-C, is a physician assistant in our pediatric neurosurgery program. She received her Master of Arts in biomedical science from Midwestern University Arizona College of Graduate Studies in Glendale, Arizona, and her Master of Science in physician assistant studies from A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona. She completed her neurosurgery physician assistant fellowship at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, where she was an instructor in neurosurgery. Serena enjoys building relationships with her patient families and providing clear patient education, particularly during such a vulnerable time of life.
January 6, 2026, Filed Under: carousel, NewsRegistration Open: Third Annual IMPRES Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Conference The Dell Children’s Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Center is hosting its third Innovative Minds: Pediatric Research in Epilepsy Surgery (IMPRES) Conference in collaboration with the Lurie Children’s Epilepsy Center from Friday, June 26, to Sunday, June 28, 2026, at Hotel Van Zandt in downtown Austin. Register now by scanning or clicking on the QR code below. For additional information, visit the event website or email dcmcepilepsy@ascension.org. This conference gave me a lot to think about and remember. In addition to the medical knowledge that was presented, the physicians I spoke with told stories that inspired the way I think about advocating for patients who are disadvantaged, which I hope to sustain when it comes to making clinical decisions with my team. AMAZING conference. Inspiring, educational, and enriching in so many different ways. Great speakers. Great program. Dr. Clarke was an excellent host and organizer. Topics were very well selected. Many speakers had international experience and provided a global flair offering different points of view or vision. Featured Speakers Keynote Speaker: Carter Snead III, MD, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto; Scientist Emeritus, SickKidsDave Clarke, MD, Dell Children’s Medical CenterJim Riviello, MD, Texas Children’s HospitalZachary Grinspan, MD, MS, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical CenterAhmed Abdelmoity, MD, Children’s MercyBernice Martin Lee, CEO, Epilepsy Foundation of AmericaIlene Miller, Director, Rare Epilepsy NetworkM. Omar Iqbal, MD, Dell Children’s Medical CenterRosalia Costello, PsyD, Dell Children’s Medical CenterHoward Weiner, MD, Texas Children’s HospitalMonika Jones, JD, CNP, Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery AllianceRana Said, MD, Children’s Health/UT SouthwesternDaniel Arndt, MD, Specialists in Pediatric Neurology PLLCSteven Wolf, MD, Boston Children’s Health PhysiciansDaniel Freedman, DO, Dell Children’s Medical CenterJorge A. Vidaurre, MD, Nationwide Children’sRosario DeLeon, PhD, Dell Children’s Medical CenterElysa Widjaja, MD, Lurie Children’sLiberty Hamilton, PhD, University of California, BerkeleyGabrielle Conecker, MPH, SCN8A Alliance, DEE-P Connections, and The Inchstone ProjectAlison Kukla, MPH, CURE EpilepsySandi K. Lam, MD, MBA, Lurie Children’sSookyong Koh, MD, Children’s NebraskaRaheel Ahmed, MD, PhD, University of Wisconsin–MadisonJorge Gonzalez-Martinez, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Medical CenterDhruve Jeevan, MD, Dell Children’s Medical CenterChelsey B. Ortman, MD, Dell Children’s Medical CenterKaren Evankovich, PhD, Dell Children’s Medical CenterJanet Wilson, APRN, CPNP-PC, Dell Children’s Medical CenterAllie Melendez-Zaidi, MD, PhD, El Paso Children’s HospitalEmily Ramirez, DO, Dell Children’s Medical Center
