The American Society of Neural Therapy and Repair (ASNTR) has awarded the 2015 Bernard Sanberg Memorial Award for Brain Repair to John D. Elsworth, PhD, senior research scientist in psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. The award was presented at the organization’s 22nd annual conference, held April 30-May 2 in Clearwater Beach, Florida.
From the ASNTR press release:
The 2015 Bernard Sanberg Memorial Award for Brain Repair was presented in recognition of Dr. Elsworth's significant research contributions that have included research into cell-based and gene therapy approaches for protecting, repairing or replacing dysfunctional systems involved in motor and cognitive aspects of Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia and also his research into the mechanisms and implications of susceptibility of dopamine neurons to perturbations at different periods of development.
The award is named for Bernard Sanberg, father of Dr. Paul Sanberg (University of South Florida), a co-founder of the ASNTR. After Bernard Sanberg died of a stroke in 1999, the award bearing his name was established and is presented by the ASNTR annually to an individual who has made outstanding research contributions in the field of neural therapy and repair. The award, first presented in 2000, is presented every year at ASNTR's annual meeting.
"Professor Elsworth, who has been a long time leader in cell transplantation and gene therapy, is quite deserving of this award," said John Sladek, PhD, professor of neurology, pediatrics and neuroscience at University of Colorado School of Medicine.
ASNTR is a society for basic and clinical neuroscientists using a variety of technologies to better understand how the nervous system functions and establish new procedures for its repair in response to trauma or neurodegenerative disease. Member scientists employ stem/neural cell transplantation, gene therapy, trophic factor and neuroprotective compound administration and other approaches.