Awards & Recognitions – November 2023

K12 Grant

Barrow neurosurgeon Andrew Yang, MD, MS, received a K12 grant from the Neurosurgeon Research Career Development Program (NRCDP) of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The two-year grant will provide Dr. Yang, principal investigator of the Human Neurophysiology and Neuromodulation (HNN) Lab, with a total of $330,000 for the research study: “Thalamocortical network of ictogenesis and its neuromodulation.”

The study aims to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in drug-resistant epilepsy. The HNN Lab will use advanced computational techniques, such as machine learning, to analyze stereoEEG data obtained in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. They will explore pathologic changes in the interactions between the thalamus (where DBS is delivered) and cortical regions from which seizures arise during the minutes preceding seizures. Dr. Yang hopes to identify specific changes in thalamocortical interactions that are associated with an increased risk of seizure generation, and to understand how thalamic stimulation may reverse such pro-seizure interactions. 

Act of Humankindness

Barrow neurologist Courtney Schusse, MD, received an Acts of Humankindness Award from CommonSpirit Health. Dr. Schusse was nominated by a colleague who wanted to express her gratitude for the kindness and support she received from Dr. Schusse after being involved in a car accident. Among other gestures, Dr. Schusse organized a fundraiser to help with her co-worker’s medical bills and rideshare costs.

DAISY Award

Kristina Large, a nurse on 6NNB, received a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses from The DAISY Foundation. The person who nominated Kristina stated that the nurse treated their terminal family member to a thoughtful spa treatment, making him feel like a “King for a Day.”