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Continued
from page 1.
The
group is now using detailed analyses of this dataset to
identify oligodendroglioma-specific genes. Study of these
genes will provide insight into the molecular genetic basis
of oligodendroglioma growth and chemosensitivity, ultimately
resulting in the identification of specific targets for
therapeutic intervention.
Dr.
Cahill spoke enthusiastically about receiving the award,
and his high hopes for success in his research. He said:
"The NREF Research Fellowship has provided the unique
opportunity to pursue my interest in the molecular genetics
of brain tumors. Hopefully, these studies will provide insight
into the genes underlying brain tumors."
Dr.
Manish Aghi, a fourth- year resident will receive the Ronald
L. Bittner Award for the best brain tumor research by a
resident or junior faculty member at the American , Association
of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), 2005 for his talk "Increased
Ratio of T2-Bright MRI Volume to T1-Enhancing Volume in
EGFR-Amplified Glioblastoma"; the American Brain Tumor
Association (ABTA), Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2004-2006;
the Preuss Award - best basic science research - "Generation
of Brain Tumor Neovasculature from Transplanted Bone
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Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), 200
Ziv
Williams, who in 2003 received the Congress of Neurological
Surgeons Resident Award, Stereotactic and Functional
Neurosurgeryand the American Parkinson Disease AssociationScholarship,
has had articles on his work appear in Nature Neuroscience
in December 2004.
"Functional
neurosurgery caught my interest early on when I began
working with primates in Dr. Eskandar's'lab,"
said Dr. Williams. "I found it incredible uncovering
some of the mysteries of how the brain
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functions, and answering questionssuch as how does
learning occur and how are decisions made.
" I came to MGH because I knew that this was
a place that cultivated such thinking and had people
such as Dr. Eskandar who enjoyed asking these types
of exciting questions. Recently, we had the opportunity
to record single neuronal activity in patients undergoing
planned surgical cingulotomy. By having them perform
a simple task during surgery, we demonstrated that
the dorsal anterior cingulated cortex plays a key
role in processing strategic decisions based on reward.
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Residency
Program Director Notes....
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| During
the past year we received approval from the Residency
Review Committee to accept an additional trainee
into our program every other year.
For
at least the past 35 years we have accepted
two residents a year. This is a major step forward
in our efforts to stay abreast of the evolving
needs in graduating the most highly qualified
individuals. You are all aware of the fundamental
changes in the way our discipline is structured
and
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practiced today, something for which we must modify
the training program to most appropriately educate
our residents.
From
the resident training standpoint, the most striking
change has been the trend to subspecialization
within neurosurgery. This reflects the remarkable
progress in technology, as well as the scope
and sophistication of operative techniques that
has occurred during the past two decades.
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The
clinical activities of individual Neurosurgical
Staff members at MGH have followed this trend
toward subspecialization as well. Areas of concentration
include complex spine, operative cerebrovascular,
interventional non-operative cerebrovascular,
pediatrics, functional, brain tumor/skull base,
and radiosurgery.
Paul
H. Chapman, M.D.
Zervas Professor of Neurosurgery
MGH Reisdency Training Program Director
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