Kennedy Honored as 'Giant of Neurology' by AAN Foundation

[Guest guest]

Kennedy Honored as 'Giant of Neurology' by AAN Foundation

R. Kennedy, MD, FAAN, was honored recently by the AAN

Foundation for his expertise in the field of the peripheral nervous

system and his commitment to the future of neurology, clinical

practice, and research. The R. Kennedy, MD, Clinical

Research Training Fellowship Fund was launched at a November

luncheon event co-hosted by the AAN Foundation and the Minnesota

Society of Neurologic Sciences. The fund will support young

investigators in a mentored environment to conduct the clinical

research needed today and build the experience necessary to become

the leaders of tomorrow.

Throughout his 40-plus year career, Kennedy has been devoted to the

field of neurology as a physician, researcher, teacher, and

advocate. He was recruited from residency training at the Mayo

Clinic in 1964 by A.B. Baker, MD, to join faculty of the University

of Minnesota and establish EMG and neuromuscular histopathology

services. He served for over 20 years as the alternate delegate and

delegate from the AAN to the American Medical Association (AMA)

house of delegates and was elected for nine years to the AMA Council

on Scientific Affairs. He has been on several AAN committees, served

as AAN Historian and on the AAN Board of Directors. His research has

produced more than 130 scientific papers and chapters. As a teacher,

Kennedy has challenged and mentored students, residents, fellows,

and faculty colleagues.

Master of Ceremonies C. , MD, FAAN, Head of the

Department of Neurology at the University of Minnesota, spoke warmly

of Kennedy's achievements. Kennedy was also honored by others,

including Austin J. Sumner, MD, FAAN, AAN Foundation Chair; W.

Tulloch, MD, FAAN, President of Minnesota Society of Neurologic

Sciences; Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, MD, PhD, AAN Foundation 2002

Clinical Research Training Award recipient; Jasper R. Daube, MD,

FAAN, Mayo Clinic; and Gwen Crabb, Senior Scientist at the Kennedy

Lab at the University of Minnesota. Tribute letters from G.

s, MD, FAAN, and Francis I. Kittredge, Jr., MD, JD, FAAN,

were also shared.

For more than 20 years, Kennedy was the University of Minnesota's

only neuromuscular expert and electromyographer when the training

program was among the nation's largest. The University's current

innovative Kennedy Lab not only enjoys a reputation for ground-

breaking research, but also serves as the test site for new software

technologies that may further propel groundbreaking discoveries.

" Dr. Kennedy is a man of vision, " said Gwen Crabb. " He possesses

dogged determination to reach goals as we develop methods to better

analyze neuropathy. And despite all of his achievements and renown,

Dr. Kennedy is fun to work with! He is respectful, creative, and

full of energy. He is a caring man of integrity. And I speak for

everyone in the lab when I say that we are thrilled that he is being

honored. Thank you, Dr. Kennedy, for sharing your creative genius

with us. "

http://www.neurofoundation.org/