Interviews

As in the previous year, Neuropenews asked EAN committee members, panel chairs, speakers etc. which session one should not miss at the upcoming congress in Copenhagen 2016. Please find their answers below!

David Vodušek (DV): As president of PAUNS, can you please tell the Neuropenews readers of the organization’s history, its present activities and plans for the future? Saeed Bohlega (SB): PAUNS was conceived during the World Congress of Neurology (WCN) meeting in Barcelona, Spain in 1973 but it was only in 22nd May 1975 that PAUNS was officially founded. Under the leadership of the late Dr. Ahmed El Banhawy as first President, PAUNS came into existence in Cairo with the combination of various neuroscience societies in the Arab World, including specialists from countries lacking such societies.

Philip Larkin is incoming President of EAPC (European Association of Palliative Care). David Vodušek (DV): The mission statement of EAPC states: “…EAPC strives to develop and promote palliative care in Europe through information, education and research using multi-professional collaboration, while engaging with stakeholders at all levels.” How would you translate this statement towards possible cooperation with EAN? Philip Larkin (PL): It may be helpful to explain initially how EAPC works. EAPC is a membership organisation and currently has 55 member associations across 31 countries and people are engaged in palliative care from a range of perspectives; specialist clinical practice, education, policy and of course research.

As in the previous year, Neuropenews asked EAN committee members, panel chairs, speakers etc. which session one should not miss at the upcoming congress in Copenhagen 2016. Please find their answers below!

Mads Ravnborg is President of the Danish Neurological Society - hosting the 2nd Congress of the European Academy of Neurology in Copenhagen, Denmark. He is Co-chair of the EAN Programme Committee 2016. The interview was conducted by Philip Scheltens, who is also a member of the EAN Programme Committee. Philip Scheltens (PS): As President of the Danish Neurological Society (DNS), can you give us a brief history of the society, its activities and plans for the future? Mads Ravnborg (MR): The Neurological Society was founded in 1900 in Copenhagen, an event that heralded the formation of a neurologic specialty in Danish health care.

David Vodušek (DV): The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) declared at the last World Congress on Pain in Buenos Aires that the period, October 2014 to December 2015, would be the Global Year Against Neuropathic Pain. What do you consider the most important achievement of this action? Chris Wells (CW): The Global Year Against Pain evolved from an idea of David Niv’s, former European Pain Federation (EFIC) President and IASP Council member. He conceived the idea of a Day Against Pain in 2001 and this developed into first a Week and then a Year Against Pain, which IASP and EFIC now jointly sponsor and promote.

Elena Moro (EM): As Programme Committee Chair, can you share you vision about the role of the EAN within the community of European Neurologists? Paul Boon (PB): I believe EAN has a unique mission to provide a platform for neurology in Europe, at a large scale and high level of professionality. Europe has a strong tradition of clinical discoveries, scientific breakthroughs and academic teaching in the field of neurology.

David Vodušek (DV): As President of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and active neuro-oncologist you are confronted with the full panorama of neurological sciences. How will you bridge the very specific and the very broad? Terrence Cascino (TC): The Academy exists because of the enormous intellect among the hundreds of volunteer neurologists who help to provide the unparalleled programs, products, and services to our more than 28,000 members around the world. These volunteers represent some of the best and brightest neurologists and are knowledgeable on the hundreds of neurologic diseases encountered in clinical practice by our members.

"Horizon 2020 is the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a Europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe's global competitiveness", Thomas Skordas. Elena Moro (EM): Can you briefly illustrate to the Neuropenews readers what are the FET – Future and Emerging Technologies – actions and which place do they take within the EC’s H2020 programme? Thomas Skordas (TS): FET – Future and Emerging Technologies – is part of the "Excellent Science" pillar of Horizon 2020. The other components of this pillar are the "European Research Council (ERC)", the "Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions" and the "Research infrastructures" actions. Altogether, these four components aim to reinforce, widen and extend the excellence of the Union's science base and ensure a supply of world-class research and talent pursuing to secure Europe's long term competitiveness and well-being.

Elena Moro (EM): We would like to join the EFNA Board in congratulating you with your election as the President of EFNA. We look forward at collaborating with you! Could you share with us your plans for the EFNA? Ann Little (AL): In recent years, EFNA has worked with great dedication on establishing a new strategic direction focussed on the four pillars of Advocacy, Awareness, Empowerment and Engagement. This is laid out in our Strategic Plan 2015-2020 document ‘Stronger Connected’.

Elena Moro (EM):  Can you briefly introduce the Alliance for Biomedical Research in Europe (BioMed Alliance) to the Neuropenews readers? Karin Sipido (KS): The Alliance for Biomedical Research in Europe (BioMed Alliance) is a unique initiative representing 21 leading European biomedical societies that together include more than 400,000 researchers and health professionals across Europe.

Elena Moro (EM): The EAN Quality Assurance Sub-Committee works closely together with the EAN Education Committee. Can you briefly describe the main reasons why the EAN has gathered this sub-committee? Jan Kuks (JK): In fact, the EAN Quality Assurance sub-Committee is part of the EAN Education Committee (EC). We are working together with the main board of the EC and other EC-subcommittees (such as the Teaching Course sub-Committee), to set up an optimal programme for teaching and education, offered to the European neurological community by the EAN.

Elena Moro (EM): We congratulate you on your appointment as new Chair of the MDS-European Section. Which role do you expect the MDS-European Section to cover within the EAN and the European neurology world? How do you foresee the cooperation between the MDS-ES and the EAN? Which main joint educational initiatives would you particularly promote and why? Joaquim Ferreira (JF): First I would like to start by congratulating the EAN and its Board for the success of the first congress in Berlin. The founding of the EAN is a major achievement for the world of neurology and will have positive implications that will reach beyond European borders. I would also like to extend my compliments to all stakeholders who had the vision and the generosity to contribute to this major cause.

Elena Moro (EM): As Chair of the Education Committee, can you illustrate the role you give to EAN within the community of European neurologists? Hannah Cock (HC): I see my role as leading on the Educational Strategy of the EAN, and overseeing the delivery of educational activities to support this, in parallel with ensuring robust quality assurance mechanisms are in place. Education underpins much of the EAN vision, and is also a substantial component of the annual budget so this is a role I take very seriously, working closely with my colleagues on the board and of course the committee and subcommittees.