ASNTR awards go to Parkinson's Disease research and patient advocate at May meeting

Ms. Samuelson, a resident of Healdsburg, California, also played a major role in convincing the citizens of California to create a fund of $3 billion for stem cell research and the creation of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). She was elected to membership on the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee of CIRM and serves as vice chair of that important group.

During her acceptance comments, Samuelson credited several members of the ASNTR with their early support of her efforts and for their effective work with legislators and celebrities, including film and TV star Michael J Fox who, through her work, testified before Congress on the need for more PD research.

The award was presented by the founding president of ASNTR, Dr. John Sladek of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. The lifetime achievement award is named in honor of Molly and Bernard Sanberg, parents of Dr. Paul Sanberg, ASNTR co-founder, Distinguished University Professor, director of the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair and associate vice president for innovation at the University of South Florida.

Founded in 1993, ASNTR is dedicated to the development of pioneering biological and repairative therapies to treat neurological disorders. Members include visionaries and developing scientists working in a collegial, collaborative manner. ASNTR is committed to enriching the lives of students, trainees and young investigators, thereby seeding the next generation of research and clinical scientists. ASNTR meetings always highlight the work of young investigators side-by-side with established leaders in the field and a safe place to disagree in a forum where all voices can be heard.

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.