Awards & Recognitions – July 2024
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Grant
Yvette Brown-Shirley, MD, a neurologist in the Barrow Brain Injury and Sports Neurology Center and the director of the Barrow Native American Health Equity Initiative, has received a 2024 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Innovator Grant from the American Academy of Neurology. This grant is designed to support students, residents, fellows, and early career faculty who are taking innovative approaches to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion within their academic neurology departments or the communities they serve. Dr. Brown-Shirley’s project focuses on implementing a baseline concussion protocol and culturally appropriate concussion education for a Navajo Nation high school. Her team is about halfway through implementing the pilot protocol and plans to expand it to more communities, both tribal and rural.
Target ALS Grant
Rita Sattler, PhD, MSc, a professor in the Department of Translational Neuroscience at Barrow, and her collaborators have received a competitive Target ALS Basic Biology Consortia Grant for a project aimed at understanding how TDP-43 dysfunction in glia contributes to ALS. Dr. Sattler’s collaborators include Dr. Yuna Ayala of St. Louis University, Dr. Christopher Donnelly of the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Patrick Pirrotte of the Translational Genomics Research Institute, and Dr. Kendall Van Keuren-Jensen of the National Institute on Aging. Their consortia was one of six that received funding out of applications submitted by 106 scientists from 76 institutions in 13 countries.
Fundraising Milestone
Barrow Neurological Foundation wrapped up the 2024 fiscal year with a total of $51 million in donations. This included $25 million gift from an anonymous donor to begin the planning, development, and recruitment for a new research facility dedicated to advancing our understanding of how the brain functions as the mind. Additionally, the Women’s Board of Barrow Neurological Foundation raised $10.1 million through the Barrow Grand Ball, and the Neuro Night event brought in $3 million.
No. 1 Neurosurgery Residency
Barrow Neurological Institute is home to the nation’s No. 1 neurosurgery residency program, according to the newest Residency Navigator released by Doximity. The residency directory consistently ranks Barrow among the top neurosurgery residency programs based on reputation, and the Institute’s rise to the highest spot for 2024-25 is a culmination of nominations, ratings, and reviews by Doximity’s network. This network consists of more than 80 percent of all United States physicians.
A Top Rehabilitation Hospital
U.S. News & World Report has again named Barrow Neurological Institute as one of the country’s Best Hospitals for Rehabilitation. At No. 34 for 2024-25, the Institute has climbed three spots from last year and six spots from the previous year. To develop the latest top 50 list, U.S. News evaluated 1,049 rehabilitation hospitals around the country using data from sources like Medicare. Reviewers considered factors such as prevention of hospital readmission, patient volume, advanced technologies offered, and CARF accreditation.