Awards and Honors Across Weill Cornell Medical College - Week of April 25 - May 2

Awards and Honors

Dr. Hooman Kamel Wins Michael S. Pessin Stroke Leadership Prize

Dr. Hooman Kamel

Dr. Hooman Kamel, an assistant professor of neurology and assistant professor of neuroscience in the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, has won the Michael S. Pessin Stroke Leadership Prize from the American Academy of Neurology.

The prize, which carries a $1,500 cash award, is given to early-career neurologists who have demonstrated a passion for learning and expanding the field of stroke research. Dr. Kamel accepted the prize during the academy's annual meeting on May 1.

"It's a huge honor in our field," Dr. Kamel said. "It's gratifying to know that I'm being recognized as making a contribution in a field where there is already so much great work being done."

Stroke, which occurs when a clot or burst blood vessel cuts off vital blood flow and oxygen to the brain, is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. Some 795,000 strokes occur each year, killing nearly 130,000 people, according to estimates from the National Stroke Association.

In addition to treating patients at Weill Cornell's stroke and critical care division, Dr. Kamel investigates the causes of the condition, with a particular interest in the link between cardiac arrhythmias and stroke. Most recently, Dr. Kamel's research team discovered that mothers remain at risk of developing a blood clot for 12 weeks after giving birth, rather than the six weeks physicians previously thought.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 27,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care.

Dr. Jason Baker Wins 2014 Humanitarian Award

Dr. Jason Baker

Dr. Jason Baker, an assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, has won the 2014 Humanitarian Award from the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.

The award is bestowed each year on a person who shares the foundation's commitment to raising awareness of diabetes and finding a cure for the disease. The foundation is honoring Dr. Baker for his care of type 1 diabetes patients and his work with Marjorie's Fund, an organization that strives to improve resources and education for type 1 diabetics in the developing world.

He will receive the award on May 6 during the foundation's ninth annual D.R.E.a.M.S. in the City event at The Pierre hotel in New York. The foundation supports the Diabetes Research Institute, located at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, a Center of Excellence dedicated to curing the disease.

"While this award is being given to me," Dr. Baker said, "it is really being given to all the people I'm working with who help those across the globe who have type 1 diabetes and are less advantaged than patients in the industrialized world."

Dr. Baker, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was in medical school, has dedicated his career to improving education, conducting research and improving access to testing and treatment in resource-poor countries, particularly in sub-Sahara Africa. Diabetic patients in these countries often face life-threatening complications because they have few resources to control their disease. The insulin available is often subpar, too expensive and in short supply, as are the blood-glucose testing strips used to monitor blood sugar.

Through Marjorie's Fund, an organization he founded in memory of a young Ugandan woman who died from her disease at 29 years old, Dr. Baker is educating teens and adults living with type 1 diabetes about their disease, providing them with insulin and testing supplies, and supporting research to improve the epidemiology of the disease in resource-poor areas.

"He is also a beloved physician of many of our constituents," said Samantha Shanken Baker, the founder and co-chair of D.R.E.a.M.S. in the City. "As a type 1 diabetic himself, he possesses a unique medical perspective and displays heartfelt empathy for his patients."

Additional Awards and Honors

Dr. Ryan McGarry's documentary, "Code Black," has won numerous accolades, including the 2013 Los Angeles International Film Festival Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Feature at the 2013 Hamptons International Film Festival, Audience Favorite Documentary Award at the 2013 Aspen Film Festival and People's Choice Award at the 2013 Denver STARZ Film Festival. Dr. McGarry, who is an instructor in medicine, is the director of "Code Black," which chronicles his experience training at the Los Angeles County General Hospital.

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