PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF NEUROLOGY & NEUROSURGERY
2022: A YEAR IN REVIEW

At Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the Neurology and Neurosurgery departments are pushing boundaries and bringing breakthrough medicine from the bench to the bedside. Check out some of the top achievements and breakthroughs by the Northwestern Medicine Neurology and Neurosurgery teams over the past year.

Top achievements and breakthroughs in 2022

​New Immune Culprit Discovered in Alzheimer's Disease
A Northwestern Medicine study published in Cell has discovered the role of cerebrospinal fluid in cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer's disease. This discovery provides a new clue to the process of neurodegeneration.
Clinical Guidelines: Acute, Long-Term Neurologic Manifestations of COVID-19
Igor J. Koralnik, MD, Eric M. Liotta, MD, and Edith L. Graham, MD, of Northwestern Medicine Neurology, discuss the guidelines they recently developed and published in Neurotherapeutics for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and long-term neurologic manifestations of COVID-19.
​Scientists Discover 1st Potential Therapy for Aggressive, Recurrent Meningioma
As part of an international collaboration with scientists at University of California, San Francisco and University of Hong Kong, Northwestern Medicine scientists have identified a drug that inhibits growth of the most aggressive meningiomas. They also discovered the most accurate method of identifying which meningiomas will respond to the drug. The study was published in Nature Genetics.
Neural Stem Cell Therapy May Improve Metastatic Cancer Survival
When used in combination with the HER2 inhibitor drug, tucatinib, neural stem cells engineered by Northwestern Medicine scientists improved survival in mice with HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastases, according to findings published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Von Hippel-Lindau Disease: Clinical Update and New Drug Therapy
Northwestern Medicine’s Rimas Lukas, MD, Neuro-Oncology, Niraj Shenoy, MD, PhD, MS, Hematology/Oncology, and Brittany Szymaniak, PhD, CGC, Cancer Genetics, discuss the clinical management of Von Hippel-Lindau disease, including their recent study that examined belzutifan, the first approved HIF-2α inhibitor, in VHL-associated tumors.
Inside the OR: Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Resection of Pituitary Adenoma for Cushing's Disease
In this video, Stephen Magill, MD, PhD, assistant professor of Neurosurgery at Northwestern Medicine, and his team perform an endoscopic endonasal surgery for pituitary tumor resection in a patient with Cushing’s disease.
Case Report: Endoscopic Transcervical Odontoidectomy for Rare Basilar Impression
Jean-Paul Wolinsky, MD, professor of Neurosurgery at Northwestern Medicine, presents the case of a 40-year-old man who presented with basilar invagination.
Long COVID-19: Neurological Symptoms Last an Average of 15 Months
On average, non-hospitalized patients with long COVID-19 at the Northwestern Medicine Neuro COVID-19 Clinic continued to experience neurological symptoms, such as brain fog, headache, dizziness and fatigue, for 15 months after disease onset, according to a novel study published in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology.
Chordoma: En Bloc Resection and Other Management Strategies
Jean-Paul Wolinsky, MD, is one of a handful of surgeons in the country capable of performing en bloc resections for chordoma. He joins this episode of the Better Edge podcast to discuss his unique surgical technique, as well as investigational therapies for chordoma.
T-Cell Interactions Vary Between Tumor Microenvironments
A team led by Northwestern Medicine investigators discovered differences in the distribution and interaction of T-cells within different parts of brain tumor and brain metastasis microenvironments, according to findings published in JCI Insight.
Persistent Viral Shedding Of COVID-19 Associated With Delirium, 6-Month Mortality In Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients
A Northwestern Medicine study published in GeroScience found that patients who kept testing positive more than 14 days after their initial positive test were more likely to experience delirium and longer hospital stays, were less likely to be discharged home and had a greater six-month mortality than those without persistent viral shedding of COVID-19.
Exposure to Artificial Light During Sleep May Increase Risk of Heart Disease and Diabetes
Exposure to even moderate ambient lighting during nighttime sleep harms cardiovascular function during sleep and increases insulin resistance, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study published in PNAS.
Study Investigates Crosstalk Between Mitochondria and Lysosomes
Northwestern Medicine investigators have discovered that outer mitochondrial membrane proteins regulate crosstalk between mitochondria and lysosomes. The finding has implications for many neurological diseases.
Research in Dogs Reveals Promising Treatment for Glioblastoma in Humans
Amy B. Heimberger, MD, the Jean Malnati Miller Professor of Brain Tumor Research at Northwestern Medicine, was part of a team that conducted a phase 1 clinical trial that used an immunotherapy drug known as a STING (STimulator of INterferon Genes) in canine glioblastoma. She discusses the promising study that could lead to more effective human glioblastoma clinical trials.
DNA Methylation Profiling: A Groundbreaking Diagnostic Tool for Brain Tumors
Northwestern Medicine became one of four institutions worldwide to offer methylation profiling to diagnose brain tumors. In this video, Craig M. Horbinski, MD, PhD, director of Neuropathology and professor of Neurological Surgery, discusses the details of this groundbreaking diagnostic tool.

AWARDS, HONORS AND RECOGNITIONS

Congratulations to the Northwestern Medicine Neurology and Neurosurgery faculty members who were recognized with honors and awards in 2022.
Neurology
 
Gemma L. Carvill, PhD
Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Award in Neuroscience, American Neurological Association
 
Ann Kennedy, PhD
Eppendorf and Science Prize for Neurobiology
 
Rimas V. Lukas, MD
Faculty Member of the Year, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern Medicine
​
Dimitri Krainc, MD, PhD
New member, National Academy of Medicine

M. Marsel Mesulam, MD
Member of Excellence, French Society of Neurology Awards

Roger Stupp, MD
Founding member, Scientific Advisory Board

Lisa F. Wolfe, MD
Hope Through Caring Award, Les Turner ALS Foundation
 
Phyllis Zee, MD, PhD
Distinguished Scientist Award, Sleep Research Society
Neurosurgery
 
Amy B. Heimberger, MD, PhD
New member, National Cancer Advisory Board
Olivia Kresach Medal of Excellence, BrainUp

Maciej Lesniak, MD
Chair of the Year, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern Medicine
 
John Rogers, PhD
“Highly Cited Researchers” list, Clarivate Analytics
James Prize in Science and Technology Integration, Council of the National Academy of Sciences

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