Awarded since 1968, the William P. Van Wagenen Fellowship provides funding for post-residency study in a foreign country for 12 months. Established by the estate of Dr. Van Wagenen, who himself traveled and studied throughout Europe early in his career, the fellowship honors his legacy as one of the founders and the first president of the Harvey Cushing Society, now the AANS. The Van Wagenen Fellowship is designed to provide freedom in scientific development and clinical development without the restrictive limitations typically imposed by current fellowships and research grants.
Darrin J. Lee, MD, PhD, was named the 2017-18 Van Wagenen Fellow. He recently completed his fellowship year under the mentorship of Andres M. Lozano, MD, PhD, FAANS, FRCS(C), FRSC, of the University of Toronto.
While in Toronto, Dr. Lee pursued research in deep brain stimulation. The aim of his research was to better understand the mechanisms and functional connectivity underlying neuromodulation for cognition in epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorders and to further develop novel applications for neuromodulation.
In his mid-year report, Dr. Lee stated:
The Van Wagenen Fellowship has been an excellent experience to date. From a socioeconomic standpoint, I have had an opportunity to experience the benefits and drawbacks of a national healthcare system. I have enjoyed speaking with the physicians, ancillary staff and patients about their experiences and how they may differ from those in the U.S. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to take part in clinical research in Canada, which definitely has different regulatory constraints. I am starting a phase 1 clinical trial regarding deep brain stimulation for obesity. In addition, I am also working on a number of clinical research projects involving neuromodulation for Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. I am planning on submitting the results of a number of these projects to national and international meetings. I have also had the opportunity to start a basic science research project studying the effects of deep brain stimulation on gene expression. So far, the fellowship has been very productive and I foresee this experience being extremely valuable for my future career goals.
One of the fellowship’s greatest supporters was Marjorie Ann Dessauer (1923-2018). Dessauer, who passed away on June 6 at her home in Savannah, Georgia, was the niece of Dr. William and Mrs. Abagail Van Wagenen, One of Dessauer’s children, Dr. Paula Wilson, attended the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Van Wagenen Fellowship on April 22, 2017, and spoke eloquently about the family’s ongoing commitment to preserving the Van Wagenen legacy.
A donation to the Van Wagenen Fellowship Fund helps promising residents pursue this amazing professional opportunity and, ultimately, will have a major impact on neurosurgical patients, educators, researchers and clinicians. Visit www.nref.org/Donate to learn more.