Newswise — ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. - The Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF), which recently reached an agreement with Codman & Shurtleff Inc. to provide funding to the NREF in support of the Foundation’s post-residency, clinical fellowship grant program with an emphasis on endovascular neurosurgery, is pleased to announce that the following programs have been awarded fellowship grants for the 2011-2012 academic year: Methodist Healthcare Foundation, Semmes-Murphey; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; and University of Florida.

"Through this funding, Codman has demonstrated its continuing commitment to furthering clinical education. The 2011-2012 funding will provide neurosurgeons with a unique opportunity to learn advanced cutting-edge techniques in the relatively new and emerging field of endovascular neurosurgery. This additional education will enhance their ability to improve the quality of life of thousands of people with serious and often life-threatening conditions including cerebral aneurysms, stroke, and brain tumors," stated Griffith R. Harsh IV, MD, FACS, NREF chair.

The NREF is responsible for all aspects of the fellowship grant program, including review and approval of grant applications. The NREF has awarded grants based upon established fellowship program criteria and the needs of the requesting hospital and/or academic institution. The NREF Educational Grants Committee (EGC) was established in fall 2009 to review and approve fellowship grant applications in an independent, unbiased manner. The committee is comprised of neurosurgeons who do not receive financial or other support from the medical device industry. Individuals serving on the Educational Grants Committee are volunteers and do not receive compensation from the NREF for their efforts.

“Codman’s funding is important to furthering neurosurgeons’ knowledge of endovascular neurosurgery, an area that has seen rapid development in the utilization of state-of-the-art, minimally invasive techniques. Stroke, which affects nearly 800,000 people a year, is a clinical area in which endovascular approaches have been utilized successfully and continue to evolve. Research is integral to building on the ever-advancing technologies in neurosurgery, with the ultimate goal of improving the efficacy of procedures and patient outcome,” stated AANS President James T. Rutka, MD, PhD, FRCS.

For more information about the post-residency, clinical fellowship funding program and all other NREF grants and awards, please contact Michele S. Gregory at (847) 378-0540 or [email protected].

About the NREFThe Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) of the American Association of Neurosurgeons was established in 1981 in direct response to the reduction in federal and private funding for medical research. The mission of the NREF is to provide a private, non-governmental source of funding for research training in the neurosciences. Since its inception, the NREF has awarded 165 grants totaling nearly $7 million. As a result, significant advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of aneurisms, brain tumors, strokes, and spinal disorders, as well as an increased understanding and interest in pain therapy, stem cell research, biomaterials and pediatric epilepsy. Many of NREF’s awardees have received additional funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue their research.