Schaumburg, Ill, May 3, 2023 – The Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) and Neurosurgery Publications are pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Ali M. Alawieh as the 2023-2024 Neurosurgery Publications Resident Fellow and Dr. Alexandra Giantini Larsen as the 2023-2024 Neurosurgery Publications Deputy Resident Fellow.
Dr. Alawieh and Dr. Giantini Larsen were each selected after a thorough review of all applications received by the Selection Committee. For the first time in the history of the Fellowship, Neurosurgery Publications has selected a Deputy Fellow. Dr. Giantini Larsen will serve as the inaugural Deputy Fellow and have the opportunity to execute a Publications centric project during her term.
About Dr. Ali M Alawieh
Ali M. Alawieh, MD, PhD, is a neurosurgery resident at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Alawieh grew up in Beirut, Lebanon, where he graduated from the American University of Beirut with high distinction. Dr. Alawieh then completed his dual degree MD/PhD training at the Medical University of South Carolina where he was awarded the Distinguished Graduate of the year award. During his training, Dr. Alawieh also co-founded the Stroke Thrombectomy and Aneurysm Registry, which serves as a global collaboration of neurosurgeons and neurointerventionalists globally.
Dr. Alawieh's clinical and research interests are focused on cerebrovascular neurosurgery, both open and endovascular. His research experience spans the spectrum of translational research and includes studying the role of the complement system in the neuron-microglial interactions after injury, and the development of translational targeted therapeutics to stop local inflammation in the injured brain. His clinical research is focused on studying clinical outcomes in patients with cerebrovascular hemorrhagic and ischemic diseases.
About Dr. Giantini Larsen
Alexandra Giantini Larsen, MD, is a PGY4 neurosurgery resident at New York Presbyterian- Weill Cornell Medical Center with an interest in pediatric neurosurgical oncology. She received her B.S. degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Johns Hopkins University and M.D. degree from Harvard Medical School. During residency, she is pursuing a postdoctoral fellowship focused on development and delivery of novel therapeutics for pediatric high-grade gliomas. Her major research interests include genomic characterization of pediatric brain tumors, CSF cell-free DNA, financial toxicity, and development of antitumor pharmacological agents. She was awarded the 2023 CNS DEI Innovation Pilot Project grant to develop a summer program for high school students underrepresented in medicine to increase exposure to neurosurgery and ultimately increase ethnic and racial diversity in neurosurgery to decrease health inequity.
“We had a number of spectacular applicants this year for the position. Typically, one person is chosen, but we wanted to support the ideas of these two residents, who will bring much to the editorial board. Both hope to foster scientific writing for trainees using different education formats. We are planning ahead to make their plans a reality”, said Dr. Douglas Kondziolka, Editor-in-Chief, Neurosurgery Publications.
"I feel both honored and excited to serve as the upcoming Neurosurgery Publications Resident Fellow. I look forward to working with the editorial team to advance global neurosurgical practice by publishing high quality, rigorously reviewed, and novel discoveries in neurosurgery," said Dr. Alawieh.
“I am grateful for the mentorship I received during my early career, which helped me develop proficiency in academic writing and preparing research for publication. It is an honor to have been selected as Neurosurgery Publications Deputy Resident Fellow, and I hope to continue the cycle of mentorship by sharing the lessons learned with other neurosurgery trainees and students,” said Dr. Giantini Larsen.
Congratulations to Dr. Alawieh and Dr. Giantini Larsen!
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About Neurosurgery Publications
Neurosurgery is the official publication of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Neurosurgery provides multimedia, prompt publication of scientific articles on clinical or experimental surgery topics important for the brain, spine, and peripheral nerves, reviews, and other information of interest to readers across the world. Clinical Neurosurgery, published annually as a supplement to Neurosurgery, is the official register of the CNS Annual Meeting. Operative Neurosurgery is focused on the technical aspects of the discipline featuring operative procedures, anatomy, instrumentation, devices, and technology. Operative Neurosurgery is the practical resource for cutting-edge material that connects the surgeon directly to the operating room. Neurosurgery Practice publishes scientific articles, both clinical and experimental, from across the neurosurgical subspecialties including but not limited to vascular, spine, and tumor. Neurosurgery Practice features clinical research, reviews, case instructions, and other information of interest to neurosurgeons. Neurosurgery Practice is an online-only, fully Open Access publication with content publishing under either the Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY-NC-ND or CC-BY license.
About the Congress of Neurological Surgeons
The Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) is the global leader in neurosurgical education, serving to promote health by advancing neurosurgery through innovation and excellence in education. The CNS provides leadership in neurosurgery by inspiring and facilitating scientific discovery and its translation into clinical practice. The CNS maintains the vitality of the profession through volunteer efforts of its members and the development of leadership in service to the public, to colleagues in other disciplines, and to neurosurgeons throughout the world in all stages of their professional lives. For more information, visit cns.org.