TY - JOUR
T1 - Chronicling the philanthropic arm of neurological surgery
T2 - A review of the growth and development of the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation
AU - Agarwal, Nitin
AU - Luy, Diego D.
AU - Bonaminio, Joanne M.
AU - Philips, Chris A.
AU - Dattomo, Kathryn A.
AU - Heary, Robert F.
AU - Branch, Charles L.
AU - Robertson, Jon H.
AU - Groff, Michael W.
AU - Haid, Regis W.
N1 - Funding Information:
Since 2010, NREF has provided funding for these clinical fellowship programs. The majority of these have been devoted to spine fellowships. The goal is to grow the program to support other subspecialty interests. The program has enjoyed generous support from industry partners. This fellowship grant is a competitive award, with up to $75,000 granted to the institution sponsoring the fellowship primarily to cover the fellow’s salary and other nonsalary costs. Since the 2010–2011 academic year, 129 fellowships have been awarded, representing $8.5 million in funding.
Funding Information:
NREF also initiated the stereotactic radiosurgery registry study with initial funding from Elekta and Brainlab. Brainlab continues to support the ongoing data collection. In addition, Brainlab has also pledged $500,000 to sup- port the Andrew T. Parsa HYM fund for brain tumor research, education, and training.
Funding Information:
In addition to funding research endeavors, NREF has funded educational efforts through the Clinical Fellowship Grant, the AANS/CNS Cerebrovascular Section Traveling Fellowship, resident education courses, and The Rhoton Collection. The Clinical Fellowship Grant, formerly known as the Post-Residency Clinical Fellowship, may fund an entire year following completion of the chief residency year.
Funding Information:
Of note, AANS past president, Dr. Merwyn Bagan, and his wife, Carol, have made significant contributions to NREF over the years, establishing a fund to support an annual research grant. Inspired by the mission of NREF, Dr. and Mrs. Bagan dedicated their donation to further the progress of the specialty and their hope was that if one family endowed a research fellowship, others would follow. Leading by example, the Bagans’ legacy to the AANS and NREF will endure through the annual Bagan Family Foundation research fellowship grant.
Funding Information:
Aside from direct fiscal awards, NREF further helps research endeavors by supporting outcome studies through the NeuroPoint Alliance Quality Outcomes Database. The initial collaborative effort is the ongoing spondylolisthesis study, supported via grants from Medtronic, DePuy Syn-thes Spine, and the Regis W. Haid Jr. HYM fund. Funding was more than $600,000. To date, this study has resulted in more than 10 peer-reviewed publications and 50 platform presentations. A new cervical spondylosis NeuroPoint Alliance Quality Outcomes Database study is being started with support from the Volker K. H. Sonntag, Christopher I. Shaffrey, and Regis W. Haid Jr. HYM funds.
Funding Information:
Additionally, NREF has established two new fellowships. One of these is the Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship (MSSRF) program. The MSSRF program was created in 2008 and was fully funded by NREF until 2015. Dr. Aaron Cohen-Gadol began supporting the MSSRF program in 2015 via contributions funded from product royalties. The MSSRFs are still funded by NREF with additional support from Dr. Cohen-Gadol and a grant from the NREF Albert Rhoton HYM fund. In 2018, 27 MSSRFs were awarded, with each grant worth $2500.2
Funding Information:
The efforts of NREF to further the field of neurosurgery have culminated in investments totaling more than $23 million since its inception in 1980.1 Initially, the foundation created two award types worth $20,000 each: the Research Fellowship Grant, a 2-year grant designated for neurosurgical residents only, and the Young Clinician Investigator (YCI) Award, a 1-year grant intended to support junior faculty not more than 2 years from completing their neurosurgical residency or a clinical fellowship. The first Research Fellowship Grant awards were bestowed in 1983 to Dr. Samuel J. Hassenbusch from Johns Hopkins University and Dr. Robert M. Levy from the University of California, San Francisco, through the generous donations from sponsors Drs. Kenneth J. Murray and Yoshio Hosobuchi. The first YCI award was given to Dr. Marc R. Mayberg from the University of Washington in 1986. These awards were later increased to $30,000 in 1988. Award amounts have varied since then, depending on the amount of available funding, the term of the award (e.g., 1 vs 2 years), and the source of funding (e.g., joint section or partner organization). For the 2019–2020 academic year, NREF awarded 3 YCI awards and 9 Research Fellowship Grant awards, which were each 1-year grants worth up to $50,000.2
Funding Information:
1Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; 2Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation and 3American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Rolling Meadows, Illinois; 4Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey; 5Department of Neurological Surgery, Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; 6Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee; 7Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; and 8Atlanta Brain and Spine Care, Atlanta, Georgia OBJECTIVE The Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation (NREF), previously known as the Research Foundation of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), was established in 1980 to encourage and facilitate innovation through financial support to young neurosurgeons in the process of honing their competencies in neurosciences and neurological surgery. This article provides a historical overview of NREF, its mission, and charitable contributions and the ever-expanding avenues for neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents and fellows, and medical students to supplement clinical training and to further neurosurgical research advances.
Publisher Copyright:
© AANS 2020.
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - OBJECTIVE The Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation (NREF), previously known as the Research Foundation of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), was established in 1980 to encourage and facilitate innovation through financial support to young neurosurgeons in the process of honing their competencies in neurosciences and neurological surgery. This article provides a historical overview of NREF, its mission, and charitable contributions and the ever-expanding avenues for neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents and fellows, and medical students to supplement clinical training and to further neurosurgical research advances. METHODS Data were collected from the historical archives of the AANS and NREF website. Available data included tabulated revenue, geographic and institutional records of funding, changes in funding for fellowships and awards, advertising methods, and sources of funding. RESULTS Since 1984, NREF has invested more than $23 million into the future of neurosurgery. To date, NREF has provided more than 500 fellowship opportunities which have funded neurosurgeons' education and research efforts at all stages of training and practice. CONCLUSIONS NREF is designed to serve as the vehicle through which the neurosurgical community fosters the continued excellence in the care of patients with neurosurgical diseases.
AB - OBJECTIVE The Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation (NREF), previously known as the Research Foundation of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), was established in 1980 to encourage and facilitate innovation through financial support to young neurosurgeons in the process of honing their competencies in neurosciences and neurological surgery. This article provides a historical overview of NREF, its mission, and charitable contributions and the ever-expanding avenues for neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents and fellows, and medical students to supplement clinical training and to further neurosurgical research advances. METHODS Data were collected from the historical archives of the AANS and NREF website. Available data included tabulated revenue, geographic and institutional records of funding, changes in funding for fellowships and awards, advertising methods, and sources of funding. RESULTS Since 1984, NREF has invested more than $23 million into the future of neurosurgery. To date, NREF has provided more than 500 fellowship opportunities which have funded neurosurgeons' education and research efforts at all stages of training and practice. CONCLUSIONS NREF is designed to serve as the vehicle through which the neurosurgical community fosters the continued excellence in the care of patients with neurosurgical diseases.
KW - American Association of Neurological Surgeons
KW - Grants
KW - Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation
KW - Philanthropy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097153203&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.3171/2020.5.JNS201474
DO - 10.3171/2020.5.JNS201474
M3 - Article
C2 - 32764183
AN - SCOPUS:85097153203
SN - 0022-3085
VL - 133
SP - 1905
EP - 1912
JO - Journal of Neurosurgery
JF - Journal of Neurosurgery
IS - 6
ER -