Dystonia Researchers

Pictured above are Rose Goodchild, PhD, University of Tennessee and Cris Bragg, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital

Attracting and keeping smart, dedicated young researchers is really important. Recently the DMRF hosted a meeting of young investigators, bringing together some of the brightest young dystonia researchers to talk about dystonia research and how best to support their work. We wanted to hear from them as to the challenges and opportunities they are experiencing – and how they thought the Foundation could best help young dystonia scientists. We also wanted their ideas on new, perhaps innovative ideas for DMRF research support. It was a very productive meeting with a great exchange of ideas for how we can move forward into 2010 and beyond.



This week the Society for Neuroscience is meeting in Chicago. This is an amazing meeting and in the past few years – dystonia has been present in poster sessions and talks. Having a dystonia presence at this meeting is an accomplishment for all to celebrate. DMRF, along with NSDA, had a booth at the meeting – giving us the opportunity to further promote dystonia at this meeting.



Last evening the DMRF hosted an event where we brought together many members of the dystonia research community – senior level investigators with younger investigators – all talking about what is new in dystonia research, what steps we should look at next and the progress that has been made in the last few years. It was wonderful to see the dialogue between these generations of dystonia researchers, to witness the established investigators encouraging the thoughts and ideas of those investigators beginning their careers.