FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ON April 23, 2007

Washington, DC, Researcher Honored by AAN Foundation for Gene Research

Adeline Vanderver, MD, Receives 2007 AAN Foundation Clinician Research Training Fellowship

ST. PAUL, Minn -

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Foundation is awarding a Clinical Research Training Fellowship to Adeline Vanderver, MD, with Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC, for her research into the causes of white matter destruction in Vanishing White Matter disease, an inherited neurological disorder. Vanderver will receive the award during the American Academy of Neurology's 59th Annual Meeting in Boston, held April 28-May 5, 2007. The two-year fellowship is designed to support a young neurologist conducting clinical research in a mentored environment. Vanderver’s research looks into how brain cells make protein in Vanishing White Matter disease and how abnormal protein may cause the destruction of white matter, which acts an information highway and is crucial to normal cognitive functioning. “We hope that this research will help us better understand what causes white matter destruction in Vanishing White Matter disease, as well as other types of white matter disorders,” said Vanderver. “We also hope to identify medications that can be further tested to treat White Matter disease.” The fellowship also provides tuition reimbursement for education in clinical research methodology. The fellowship is supported by the AAN Foundation Corporate Roundtable. The 59th Annual Meeting takes place in the Hynes Convention Center. It is the world’s largest annual gathering of neurologists.

The American Academy of Neurology Foundation works with the American Academy of Neurology to support education and research for the prevention, treatment and cure of neurologic disorders. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 20,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information, visit www.neurofoundation.org.