Buscar Close Search
Page Menu

Annual UMass Chan Department of Neurology Clinical & Research Updates Hybrid Program Agenda


In-Person: Beechwood Hotel 
 363 Plantation St. Worcester, MA. 
 Via Zoom 12:30 p.m.-6:45 p.m. (link will be provided 1 day prior to meeting)


Click here to view images of our event.

Friday, November 3, 2023, 12:00 to 6:45 p.m.
12:00 - 12:30 p.m. Registration - Lunch & Refreshments provided
12:30 - 12:40 p.m. Opening Remarks
12:40 - 1:00 p.m. New Approaches to Silencing ALS Genes - Robert Brown, DPhil, MD, Professor, Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Chair in Neurosciences
1:00 - 1:20 p.m. Safety and Therapeutic Measures of Transcranial Cathodal Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Patients with Refractory Epilepsy - 
Pegah Afra, MD, Professor, Department of Neurology
1:20 - 1:40 p.m. The Mozart Effect and Epilepsy -
Natalie Erlich-Malona, MD, Assistant Professor
1:40 - 2:00 p.m. ALS clinical trials at UMass Memorial Medical Center –
Margaret Owegi, DO, Assistant Professor
2:00 - 2:20 p.m. Altered Cholesterol Synthesis in Mutant Mouse Models of ALS –
Janice Dominov, PhD, Assistant Professor
2:20 - 2:40 p.m. PROPEL: A Phase 1/2 Randomized, Blinded, Dose-escalation Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Intrathecal Administration of AAV9-ABCD1 Gene Therapy (SBT101) in Adult Patients with Adrenomyeloneuropathy – 
Catherine Douthwright, PhD, C CRP, Assistant Professor
2:40 - 3:00 p.m. A role for innate immunity in FSHD muscle pathology -
Katelyn Daman, PhD, Research Scientist, Senior
3:00 - 3:20 p.m. BREAK - Coffee & Refreshments
3:20 - 3:40 p.m. Updates in Parkinson's disease diagnostics: CSF and serum alpha-synuclein assays -
Elizabeth Cozart, MD, Assistant Professor
3:40 - 4:00 p.m. Understanding the effects of traumatic brain injury on mitochondrial dysfunction 
and TDP-43 mislocalization in mouse models of ALS-FTD – 
Melissa Rotunno, PhD, Assistant Professor
4:00 - 4:20 p.m. Novel split prism spectacles to improve collision judgements in spatial neglect -
Kevin Houston, OD, MSc, Associate Professor
4:20 - 4:40 p.m. Boston C.I.T.Y.: Initial insights from a new young stroke database -
Thomas Ford, MD, Assistant Professor
4:40 - 5:00 p.m. BREAK - Coffee & Refreshments
5:00 - 5:20 p.m. Updates on headache treatments –
Raffaella Umeton, MD, MMSc, Assistant Professor
5:20 - 5:40 p.m. Should MS therapies ever be discontinued? –
Roberto Bomprezzi, MD, PhD, Associate Professor
5:40 - 6:00 p.m. In-vitro testing of neurological diseases by interrogating the immune system –
Rigel Chan, PhD, Assistant Professor, Eliane Lim, PhD, Assistant Professor
6:00 - 6:20 p.m. An Update on Dementia and Anti-Amyloid Therapy –
Taylor Young, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor 
6:20 - 6:40 p.m. Investigating the production of dipeptide repeat proteins in C9ORF72-FTD/ALS -
Sandra Almeida, PhD, Assistant Professor
6:40 - 6:45 p.m. Closing Remarks and Adjourn
6:45 - 7:45 p.m. Cocktail Reception – Attendees/Faculty/Exhibitors

Organizing Committee

Morna Larson, Secretary, SR | Department of Neurology
Sharon Velazquez, Web Communications Content Specialist | Department of Neurology
Lynn Hancock, Project Manager I | Office of Continuing Education

Course Directors: 
- Carolina Ionete, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology, Director, Neuroimmunology/MS Division
- Daryl Bosco, PhD, Professor and Associate Vice Chair of Research, Department of Neurology
- Jean Pierre Schatzmann Peron, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Neurology
- Idanis Berrios Morales, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology
- Brian Silver, MD, Professor, Vice Chair of Clinical Operations, Department of Neurology

Registration fees: In-Person and Hybrid
(In-person – includes lunch, 2 snacks & refreshments)

Physicians $150
Non-Physician $100
UMass Alumnus $100
Resident/Fellow/Student & Active UMass
Department of Neurology Employees
Free

Continuing Education Credit: 

The UMass Chan Medical School is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education 
for physicians. 

The UMass Chan designates this live activity for a maximum of 5. 5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. 
Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses: This program meets the requirements for 6.6 contact hours for nurses as specified by the 
Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (244-CMR 5.04). 

Others: Other healthcare professionals will receive a certificate that states this activity was designated 
for 5.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ 

Cancellation policy: If you cancel your registration before October 30, 2023, your fee is refundable less 
a processing charge of $75. After that date, no refund will be given for any reason, including weather 
and other emergencies, substitutions are always welcome. UMass Chan Office of Continuing Medical 
Education and the Department of Neurology reserves the right to cancel a program at any time caused 
by circumstances not under its control. Persons registered in a canceled program will be notified by 
email, using the email address provided when registering for the program. There may also be changes
in the program content caused by circumstances beyond the control of the Office of Continuing Medical 
Education.