NEWS

On August 16, 2022, the “Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Law Enforcement Training Act” became law. This bill requires the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to consult with relevant agencies to establish crisis intervention training tools for first responders to address individuals with traumatic brain injuries, acquired brain injuries, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The BJA must ensure that at least one police department designated as a Law Enforcement Mental Health Learning Site utilizes the tools and that such tools are part of the Police-Mental Health Collaboration Toolkit. Additionally, the bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study and report about the prevalence and incidence of concussions among first responders. For more information, https://www.biausa.org/public-affairs/media/policy-corner-aug-5-2022)

A recent opinion article published in the Washington Post by a trio of medical health professionals from Ohio has brought new focus to a vulnerable population often overlooked in trauma care and research: victims of domestic violence. According to the article, 1 in 3 women worldwide will experience intimate partner violence, including violent injury to the head and neck, parallel with strangulation, chokeholds, and suffocation. Furthermore, 50% of these victims are likely to be victims of repeat TBI. Statistics from Ohio’s domestic violence agencies suggest that over 80 percent of survivors have experienced abuse that could lead to brain trauma. Written in the shadow of huge names in football, having had unprecedented TBI occurrences, the trauma outside the limelight requires further attention. Read on here...

Name: Kimberly Byrnes, President

Position: Professor and Director of the Neuroscience PhD Program

Affiliation: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Research interests: Brain and spinal cord trauma; Inflammation

Past roles with NNS: Vice-President; Secretary/Treasurer

Who or what inspires you: I've been inspired by a number of people throughout my life. My graduate school PI inspired me to delve into neurotrauma research, my grad school program director inspired me to aspire to leadership, especially as a woman in science, and my son inspires me to approach every day as a unique opportunity to experience the wonder of the world.

Your goal(s) for this mandate: I'm thankful and excited to have the opportunity to serve as the 2022/23 NNS President. This year, our goals are to grow and strengthen our committee structure and improve the offerings that the society has for our membership beyond our exceptional yearly symposium. We've a number of web-based roundtable discussions planned for 2023, and are putting into place the structure to keep this offering going into the future. We've also a number of plans to improve our diversity and inclusion initiatives, including development of a new Diversity VISA program that we'll be developing for this coming year.

As we approach the holiday season in the US, I can certainly say that I am very thankful to serve you as the National Neurotrauma Society President this year. I am following in very large footprints, and I am so honored to have this opportunity to work in a society that has given me so much, and try to help it continue to grow and improve. I’m writing to give a few updates on some of our progress so far, and details of exciting new things to come.

First, I wanted to update everyone on the status of our Strategic Plan. Last year, Dr. Robertson and the ICS team ran a comprehensive analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the society and our opportunities for growth. The plan was finished over the summer, and the NNS Council has now had a chance to review and approve the plan. The resulting plan will be posted on our website for all members to view in the coming weeks. Briefly, we have put into place a list of strategic priorities and goals to achieve over the next few years in 5 broad categories: training and mentoring of the generation of neurotrauma specialists, growing the society (members and financials), increasing awareness of NNS among the broader neuroscience and clinical communities, increasing membership and engagement across clinical and research disciplines, and fostering industry collaboration. Specific goals, metrics, and deadlines will be listed on our website soon.

Second, our committees are hard at work moving forward on a number of initiatives, several of which are reflected in the strategic plan or detailed in the committee updates in this newsletter. For example, we’re continuing to improve our value to our members by holding useful and informative web-based roundtable discussions. Topics of discussions include transitioning within academia (September roundtable) and the process and impact of the new NIH policy on data sharing and management (planned for January 2023). If you missed a past roundtable, check the members-only section of our website! And if you’re interested in getting involved in any of our exciting initiatives, join one of committees! There are always openings for volunteers!

Third, planning for our 2023 symposium is under way, under the leadership of co-chairs Courtney Robertson and Linda Noble. The program committee has been very hard at work, planning a spectacular program for the Symposium. It will be held at the Marriott Austin Downtown in Austin, TX, from June 25-28th, and will again be co-hosted by the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Neurotrauma and Critical Care. As the celebration of our 40th Anniversary of the Symposium and 35th Anniversary of the founding of the society, it’s fitting that the theme for this Symposium is “Celebrating the Landmarks of Neurotrauma”. The meeting will focus on showcasing the greatest achievements in the neurotrauma field and showcasing the exciting new research that will push our understanding of neurotrauma into the future. We have a number of exciting training and networking events planned, and can’t wait to see you in June!

While we’re on the subject of meetings, we’ve also started planning for 2024 and beyond. Together with ICS, our new management company, NNS has reshaped our method for selection of cities to host our meeting and will move forward with a complementary co-chair position for the planning committee. Our new system will now shift the meeting yearly across the US (east, middle, west) to allow for more inclusivity of our national researchers. Further, our new approach to utilizing co-chairs will allow us to expand our expertise and scientific focus and allow for greater representation of junior and senior scientists, gender, and/or specialties in the chair positions and within the planning committee.

I would like to close by thanking all NNS members for their ongoing support of the Society. With the assistance of the ICS team, and the amazing dedication of the NNS Councilors and Officers, I am confident that NNS has a very bright future. I hope you are as excited as I am to see what NNS will offer next.

Best wishes for the upcoming holidays and new year!

Kimberly Byrnes

The Membership Committee is hosting a panel and roundtable discussion targeted toward focusing on ways to position yourself for academic success, how to keep it going, and balancing academic success with personal fulfillment. Please join us for this members-only event on Oct 24 at 6:00 pm EST via Zoom.

Dear NNS Community,

NNS is now taking applications to participate in the 2nd Annual NNS Mentor:Mentee program for ALL NNS MEMBERS. Please share with your trainees/programs/potential mentors!

The program is intended to provide perspective and promote engagement from all neurotrauma-associated fields as a pathway to develop a satisfying career.

This program is a collaboration between TEAM neurotrauma (Training, Education, and Mentorship) and the NNS Membership Committees.

The purpose is multifold.

1. To provide our members with a diverse set of mentors

2. To retain our members in the neurotrauma field and engage them in NNS

3. To provide a mechanism for members to soundboard ideas, seek specific advice, increase their network, explore career alternatives, expand their knowledge/skillset, etc.

Sign up as a mentor, mentee, or BOTH!

Learn more and access the application using the link below! If you have problems accessing the Mentor:Mentee Application, please email me at theresathomas@email.arizona.edu.

https://www.neurotrauma.org/Team-Mentor-Mentee-Program

Registration: https://redcap.uky.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=RH7WJRCLY9JLP3XM

We’re looking forward to another successful year!

Sincerely,
Theresa and the TEAM Neurotrauma Committee

Check out the latest updates on our May newsletter issue: 

NNS Newsletter: May 2022

Written by Theresa Currier Thomas,  on behalf of the TEAM Committee 

The training, education, and mentorship committee (TEAM) is enthusiastic about bringing back all the things you expect and more at NNS 2022.

Speed Networking: Trainees –if you are seeking specific advice, looking for new ways to promote your research, or wanting to expand your network, then this event event is for you! Speed mentoring will take place on Monday, 6/27, from 6:15-7:15 PM. Event locations will be announced closer to the conference.

WiNTR VISA: After COVID delays, the WiNTR VISA is finally back! The application deadline is May 15th, 2022. Click here for details. 

2nd Annual Mentor:Mentee program- NOW TAKING APPLICATIONS: Last year, we had 22 mentor:mentee pairs from 6 different countries with participants from undergraduates to senior faculty. Interested in participating? Then sign-up here! The deadline for applications is May 27^th. Mentor:Mentee pairs will be announced prior to the NNS conference. There will be a Mentor:Mentee Social on Sunday, June 26th, from 4-5PM, immediately before the annual NNS welcome reception for the inaugural year and upcoming pairs to meet in person!

The Annual TEAM business meeting will be held Tuesday, 6/28, from 7-8 AM.

This year at the 2022 NNS Symposium, we will be introducing a new program with undergraduates from underrepresented minority (URM) institutions in Atlanta invited to participate in conference activities. Participants will be paired with a lab to experience the research, training, community, and passion for our research throughout the conference. Interested in having your lab host a student? Then sign up here. 

This initiative will be supported by the TEAM Session and Workshop: Enhancing Diversity in Neurotrauma Research on Tuesday from 12:45-3:15 PM. Our goals for this first year are to establish a database of experience-based protocols/recommendations and work with the NIH to develop and implement strategies to improve the pipeline of students and the recruitment and retention of URM talent in STEM, neuroscience, and neurotrauma careers.

Note: We are excited to announce that the registration for the TEAM session/workshop and Speed Networking event are full. But don’t fret! If you are interested in either event, contact nns2022@icsevents.com, ASAP. As we draw closer to Atlanta, we will attempt to identify solutions to meet the needs of the NNS community.

Can’t wait to see y’all!

Written by Courtney L. Robertson, MD, President, National Neurotrauma Society

As we find ourselves in warmer spring weather, this is such an exciting time. We are less than 2 months away from our first in-person NNS meeting in 3 years! I personally am so invigorated by the idea of getting to see each other, learn about cutting edge neurotrauma research, and engage in conversations in-person. And although I feel the Society has grown and expanded in many ways over the last 2 years, nothing beats seeing each other face to face.

Along those lines, please remember that the Regular Registration deadline for the Symposium is May 15th. Also remember to reserve your hotel room at the beautiful Westin Peachtree Plaza in downtown Atlanta. The program for our 39th Annual Symposium is packed with fantastic scientific sessions, including keynote speakers, plenary sessions, abstract data blitz sessions, poster sessions and mentoring events. Grace Griesbach and the Program Committee, along with Mechthild Walter and the ICS conference team, have put together a program that truly spans from bench to bedside, from acute care to rehabilitation, across the lifespan, and includes a balance of brain and spinal cord injury research.

From a Society standpoint, NNS leadership and Council underwent a strategic planning process in March, with guidance from Amanda Lattuca and Matt Riley with ICS. Thanks to all the NNS members that completed the pre-planning survey. Matt and the ICS team will be sharing the final results of our 5 year strategic plan soon, and we will share with membership. I am confident that this will give us a solid roadmap for growth of NNS, with a sustained focus on our mission of promotion of neurotrauma research. Also, NNS elections for Officers and Council are coming soon, with voting polls opening on May 16. The list of candidates is available now on our website, and ballots will be sent out to Standard NNS members via email in mid May.

As you may have noticed through social media and your email inbox, the NNS committees have had a very busy few months. The TEAM committee has worked hard on mentoring, diversity and educational sessions for the Symposium. They are also currently reviewing WiNTR VISA award applications. The application deadline is May 15th, so please encourage trainee/junior faculty women in neurotrauma to apply. The Membership committee has worked on many initiatives, including a spring membership drive, and coordination of the NNS Roundtable discussions. The next roundtable will be on May 9th focused on career pathways in the neurotrauma field outside of academia. The Communications and Marketing committee has worked on website updates, and continued advancement of our Society social media presence . And last but certainly not least, the Advocacy committee hosted an amazing NNS 5K run/walk, with a record-breaking number of participants. Congratulations to all runners/walkers, and a special thanks to the large teams that competed. The Advocacy committee is also hosting 2 patient perspective roundtable sessions during the Symposium. 

I would like to close by thanking all NNS committee members and volunteers for their hard work over the last many months. With the support of our member volunteers, and guidance from ICS, our Society has expanded, both in terms of membership and programs offered. I believe we are emerging from the pandemic as a stronger team, and this provides a great foundation for our future, as we come together in person.

See you all in Atlanta in June!

Written by Dr. Bridgette Semple, Ph.D, on behalf of the Membership Committee

The NNS Membership Committee has been working hard behind the scenes! Our primary goal is to promote and enhance both new memberships and renewals to the Society, by planning and executing events and opportunities of benefit and interest to members. Some of these benefits were highlighted via social media posts and email blasts sent out in the lead-up to the NNS 2022 Symposium registration, which resulted in a spike in new and renewing memberships.

A key focus over the past few months has been on updating the NNS membership webpage, including the definitions of membership categories. In particular, we have added a discounted Standard Membership sub-category for Allied Health professionals with an interest in neurotrauma research; and secondly, expanded the Student Trainee Membership (Graduate) category to also include research staff/post-baccaleureate graduates within 5 years of receiving their undergraduate or Masters degree. These expanded descriptors have been approved by the NNS Council, and are intended to assist NNS to become more inclusive and accessible.

The virtual roundtable events, held via Zoom, have continued to garner enthusiastic participation. If you missed the discussion at February’s roundtable discussion was on the topic of ‘Sham controls in TBI and SCI preclinical research’, featuring expert panelists Dr. Dana McTigue, Dr. Adam Ferguson, Dr., Grace Griesbach, and Dr. Ed Dixon, and organized by Zoe Tapp, Eleni Haritomeni Moschonas, and Dr. Audrey Lafrenaye. This roundtable involved a vibrant discussion regarding various controls and conditions to consider as we all plan our next rounds of neurotrauma experiments. By popular demand, the recording and chat transcript from this event are available on the NNS members-only webpage, alongside some relevant literature for future reading. Also, please join us for our upcoming roundtable on Careers in Neurotrauma: Academia and beyond on Monday, May 9th at 6pm EST, featuring panellists: Dr. Maha Saber, Dr. Stacy J. Suskauer, Dr. Justin Beller, and Dr. Beth D. Slomine. Registration: https://www.neurotrauma.org/2022-Ask-an-Expert-Virtual-Roundtable .

We are also excited to be working closely with the Finance Committee on some NNS merchandise! The plan is to start small and scale up if there is sufficient demand, both within the Society and externally. Our goal with NNS-branded merchandise is to promote brand awareness and recognition of NNS and the work that we do, and we are planning to have items available for purchase via an online store. Watch this space – more details to come shortly!