Jacqueline A. French, MD, Named President of American Epilepsy Society

Newswise — Jacqueline A. French, MD, was presented the official gavel and title of president of the American Epilepsy Society (AES) during the 66th annual meeting this past weekend in San Diego, California. Dr. French is a professor of neurology and director of translational research and clinical trials at the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at NYU Langone Medical Center. Previously the first-vice-president of the 3,000-member society, her one-year term as president begins immediately.

Dr. French is an expert in the research and clinical care of seizures and epilepsy, including the use of electroencephalography (EEG) techniques as well as advances in antiepileptic drugs. An active member of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and AES, Dr. French chaired the AAN/AES committee that produced two widely-quoted guidelines on the use of new antiepileptic drugs. She serves as secretary of the American Society of Experimental Neurotherapeutics and head of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Epilepsy Therapy Project. She is a former co-chair of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Commission on Therapeutic Strategies and a former chair of the ILAE North American Regional Commission.

Dr. French lectures around the world on topics related to antiepileptic drug therapeutics and is often published in, and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for many journals, including Epileptic Disorders and Journal of Neuroimaging, and on the editorial boards of Lancet Neurology and Neurotherapeutics. Prior to joining NYU Langone in 2007, Dr. French was assistant dean for clinical trials at the University of Pennsylvania. A graduate of Brown University’s School of Medicine, she trained in neurology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and completed fellowships in EEG and epilepsy at Mount Sinai Hospital and Yale University.

The Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at NYU Langone Medical Center is among the largest epilepsy centers in the United States and designated a Level 4 Epilepsy Center by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC). You can learn more at NYU Langone’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center.

About NYU Langone Medical CenterNYU Langone Medical Center, a world-class, patient-centered, integrated, academic medical center, is one of the nation’s premier centers for excellence in clinical care, biomedical research and medical education. Located in the heart of Manhattan, NYU Langone is composed of four hospitals – Tisch Hospital, its flagship acute care facility; the Hospital for Joint Diseases, recognized as one of the nation’s leading hospitals dedicated to orthopaedics and rheumatology; Hassenfeld Pediatric Center, a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of children’s health services; and Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the world’s first university-affiliated facility devoted entirely to rehabilitation medicine – plus NYU School of Medicine, which since 1841 has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history. The medical center’s tri-fold mission to serve, teach and discover is achieved 365 days a year through the seamless integration of a culture devoted to excellence in patient care, education and research. For more information, go to www.NYULMC.org.