Gustavo Román

My nomination as candidate  for president of the World  Federation of Neurology  has been endorsed by the  American Academy of Neurology and the Neurological Association of Colombia.

I was raised in a tropical Third World country in Latin America,  educated as a neurologist at the Salpàªtriè
re Hospital in Paris, France, and at the University of Vermont. These early experiences gave me a good background in global neurology. Fluency in Spanish, French and English — languages spoken by  2 billion collectively — has allowed  me to communicate with many  people and provided me with an  appreciation for the cultural richness  of their nations. Moreover, the practice of clinical neurology in academic  centers in Colombia and in the  U.S., in addition to international  research collaboration in many  parts of the world as director of  neuroepidemiology at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), allowed  me to develop a deeper understanding  of the problems confronted by  neurologists in many parts of the  world.

WFN Involvement

I have been involved with the World  Federation of Neurology (WFN) for  more than 20 years, particularly with  the education and research groups in  neuroepidemiology, dementia and  tropical neurology. I recently created the Environmental Neurology Research Group (ENRG).

For more than 15 years, I have been a member of the editorial board of The Journal of the Neurological Sciences, the official publication of the WFN.

In 2008, I began my three-year  service as an elected trustee to the  WFN Board of Directors under the  current administration. I was re-elected  in 2011 for a second consecutive term; thus, I have participated in all major policy and administrative decisions of the WFN for the past five years.

Throughout my career, I have been  interested in numerous research topics ranging from tropical neurology, in  particular nutritional problems in  neurology, meningitis, herpes  encephalitis, neurocysticercosis and  tropical spastic paraparesis due to HTLV-1; to the neuroepidemiology of dementia and Parkinson’s disease, stroke and  vascular dementia; to recent studies of two modern epidemics: Alzheimer’s  disease and autism.

I am currently the scientific director and administrator of a large clinical and research Alzheimer’s and Dementia Center in Houston, Texas, and have been successful in fundraising.

I hold an academic position as  professor of neurology at Weill Cornell Medical College with involvement in  the neurological education of medical  students, residents and fellows, including an active observership international program.

Presidential Agenda

My presidential agenda can be summarized in the motto “Neurology for the  21st Century,” emphasizing the need  for widespread and novel use of  communication technologies such as cellular telephones and web-based social media as a forum for collaboration, education, training and service including long-distance consultations (telemedicine); encouraging the provision of imaging  and clinical neurophysiology equipment  in places where neurologists are still  deprived of these critical elements for  the modern practice of neurology;  supporting the translation and  dissemination of educational and  informational materials of the WFN  from English into other languages  as a way to improve communication among the member societies, trainees  and fellow neurologists throughout the world.

I would seek sponsorship and  multinational cooperation for  neuroepidemiological studies: By  facilitating the sharing of international databases, the WFN could allow  researchers to analyze the public health implications of the main neurological problems in different parts of the  world. I intend to reinforce the African Initiative launched by Johan A. Aarli, as well as Vladimir Hachinski’s Latin American Initiative and Asia-Oceania Initiative. I will continue to enhance the WFN collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and with other international neuroscience  societies, particularly with neurosurgery specialists.

Background

Early in life, I learned that education  is critical in order to overcome the  limitations imposed by environment and economic restrictions. I believe  that community education is also the answer to many of the neurological problems resulting from treatable risk factors such as hypertension, malnutrition, trauma and violence, among others. Therefore, public health practice and policy should become important tools for neurologists.

Increasing the number and educational level of neurologists worldwide by means of modern communication technologies must result in tangible benefits for the neurological health and care of all countries and their peoples. This presidential agenda would continue the legacy of my illustrious predecessors and enhance the name of the WFN in areas of the world where neurology is still a young specialty.

For a complete curriculum vitae, please visit www.profgustavoroman.com.

In June 2011, the World Federation of Neurology Research Group on Aphasia and Cognitive Disorders and the World Federation of Neurology Research Group on ALS and MND collaboratively organized Workshops on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementias in China and Mongolia.

Financed by the WFN, Facundo Manes, Thomas Bak, Suvarna Alladi, John Ravits and Albert Ludolph held lectures on the relationship of these two diseases, both on the neuropathological and clinical level. They were supported by colleagues from China and Mongolia, respectively.

In China, more than 200 professionals attended the meeting. The program raised alot of interest, and finally the two groups together with their Chinese colleagues  organized a Local Network of Expertise. This includes developing a registry for ALS/MND in Beijing (Professor Liying Cui), which is mirrored by a registry for ALS/MND in Germany and potentially in Scotland. Currently, financial support is requested by the Chinese and German government.

Four days later, an educational course was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It also was supported by our Mongolian colleagues and friends. The program was attended by more than 200 Mongolian neurologists. In the meantime, we have decided to establish a Local Network of Expertise in Ulaanbaatar, which mirrors the networks in Scotland and Germany. The Local Network of Expertise in Ulaanbaatar was established on Jan. 1, 2013, and the WFN will make every effort to support this project financially.

These most successful meetings show that the concept of the WFN to establish international scientific relations among physicians and basic scientists to hold teaching courses, to provide research groups a common bases and work together and finally establish Local Networks of Expertise is a most interesting future direction of clinical and basic research, which is doable and relevant for many fields.

We, the Japanese Society of Neurology (JSN), would like to host the 23rd World Congress of Neurology in 2017 in Kyoto.

Founded originally in 1902, the JSN has evolved into a large society with its members topping 8,852 in the past 50 years particularly after its separation, in 1959, from the original society where both neurologists and psychiatrists were members.

During those years, Japan has developed superior human resources in a broad range of neurological subspecialty fields and conducted world-class high-quality research, primarily through cooperation with the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) as well as the Asian and Oceanian Association of Neurology (AOAN). In 1961, two years after the establishment of the current JSN, the AOAN was established through the leadership of our founders and its first meeting, the Asian and Oceanian Congress of Neurology (AOCN), was held in Tokyo in 1962. Moreover, in 1975, Japan launched a system to certify qualified specialists in neurology and has since then produced more than 4,866 board certified neurologists and 2,403 senior fellows.

With this system in place, Japan has built a rich environment to nurture its neurologists. With all this in mind, we are proud to say that the Japanese Society of Neurology has been continuously putting its best efforts to advance research, education and medical practice to a level at par with the best international standards.

The Kyoto WCN meeting in 1981 greatly contributed to the development of JSN and AOAN. Along with international cooperation and the achievements of the past 30 years, Japan is determined to make the WCN 2017 another historic meeting that will serve as a springboard to advance the Asia Initiative of the WFN for the worldwide advancement of neurology in both scientific and clinical aspects. In particular, we would like to focus on three issues in WCN 2017. First, the environment and an aging society are urgent global issues that need to be addressed, especially by the rapidly developing economies of the Asian and Oceanian regions. The Japanese Society of Neurology is in a position to contribute greatly in solving the above based on its experience in overcoming similar issues, as has been seen in its measures in controlling Minamata disease, sub-acute myelo-optico-neuropathy (SMON) and in battling dementia.

Second, Japan is a suitable place to share information and discuss the international cooperation related to neurological medical services in the disaster. Japan experienced not only the Great East Japan Earthquake but also the tsunami and nuclear disaster in March 2011, and has been recovering from the triple disasters thanks to the generous support from all over the world. We would like to discuss the role of neurology in disaster medicine as well as express our gratitude to all the countries that kindly helped us.

Third, as a country with a high standard of neurological service and research, exemplified by the establishment of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and brain machine interfaces (BMI), Japan would be an excellent place to share information on highly efficient neurological medical services as well as results of state-of-the-art studies with our international colleagues, especially those in the Asian and Oceanian region.

Kyoto, famous for its rich history and culture, is a major part of Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area located in the central part of the main island of Japan. A former imperial capital with more than 1,200 years of history, Kyoto is a living museum with a fifth of Japan’s registered national treasures along with 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, unmatched anywhere else in the world. In addition, Kyoto is a renowned center for its world-class sciences bearing fruit to many Nobel laureates including Shinya Yamanaka, who was awarded with the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2012. His discovery of iPS cells started a revolution in stem cell research not only in neurodegenerative disorders but also in other fields of medicine. Kyoto residents are renowned for their hospitality. Outstanding service can be expected wherever you go, be it meeting venues, hotels, restaurants or enchanting cobbled lanes, you will be welcomed with all the warmth of the cultural heart of Japan. In addition, because of Japan’s reputation for being a friendly and safe place for travelers, tourists feel comfortable traveling alone in the city at any hour of the day.

For the WCN 2017, the Japanese Society of Neurology looks forward to welcoming you to Kyoto, where you can experience the very essence of Japanese traditional and modern culture as well as the major breakthroughs and developments in the field of neurology.

Since its establishment in 1982, the Korean Neurological Association (KNA) has demonstrated stable growth over the last three decades, and a lot of effort has been made to take the KNA to a global level. (For more, see “Changing Face of KNA” in Neurology 2013;80:1145-1147). Keeping up with the 30th anniversary of the KNA in November 2012, the KNA is currently preparing to make a new leap forward by planning to host WCN 2017 in Seoul.

The members of the KNA strongly believe that hosting the event for the first time in Korea can be meaningful since it will be a great opportunity for them to thank those who helped end the Korean War 60 years ago. It will be amazing for all our professional colleagues to see the unprecedented progress that Korea has made over the last six decades. Furthermore, it will be truly uplifting for those colleagues whose ancestors actually helped us during the war as they see the amazing impact that their sacrifices have brought to all Koreans. This is the reason that the KNA is so eager to host WCN 2017.

Foundation, Development of KNA

The KNA had a late start as an independent branch of the Korean Medical Association due to a rigid medical board system led by the government that did not easily permit the existence of an independent neurologic association. Through many struggles with other related fields, however, the KNA became a separate entity as an official independent academic association in 1982. The following year, the KNA began issuing the Journal of KNA. In 2005, the KNA began to issue a separate English journal, the Journal of Clinical Neurology (JCN; http://thejcn.com/) to help international readers. The JCN is published quarterly and is indexed in the SCI-E (impact factor in 2012: 1.892). In 1996, the KNA successfully held its first international conference, the Ninth Asian and Oceania Congress of Neurology (AOCN). Inspired by this success, KNA members have become more actively involved in international academic societies. Over the last decades, the KNA has made numerous achievements in the development of the fields of neurology and neuroscience, and has contributed to public health as well.

Current Activities of KNA in Korea

The number of total residents and board-certified members in neurology in Korea increased sharply to about 1,800 members. Since the late 1990s, the KNA has facilitated the establishment of diverse subspecialty societies, and has actively expanded academic exchanges with other countries. Starting with the Korean Epilepsy Society in 1996, 14 subspecialty societies have been founded.

International Activities

One of the major activities of the KNA is international collaboration. The KNA has been putting much effort to build relationships and tighten the ties between Korean neurology and other parts of the world. The KNA has been participating in the East Asian Neurology Forum to share academic knowledge and regional concerns with the neurologic societies of Japan and Taiwan. Along with the Ninth AOCN in 1996, which was the first international academic meeting hosted by the KNA, the Ninth World Congress on Sleep Apnea (WCSA 2009), organized by the Korean Society of Sleep Medicine, and the Seventh World Stroke Congress (WSC 2010), organized by the Korean Stroke Society, were landmark events that strengthened the international network.

Why Seoul as Host for WCN 2017?

Active support from the Korean Government

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) will provide both financial and promotional supports to WCN 2017 to be held in Seoul. The Korean Government, including the Seoul Metropolitan City, sincerely welcomes the World Congress of Neurology and looks forward to meeting the members in Seoul, South Korea, in 2017.

The KNA has extensive experiences in hosting international congresses

Recently, the KNA has successfully hosted many international congresses in diverse fields of neurology. These experiences will certainly help make WCN 2017 a great success.

Providing opportunities for contribution  to WFN to new members

By helping the KNA to host WCN for the first time, all members will be inspired by an equal opportunity policy that the WFN pursues in making contributions to the society.

Special considerations provided to  participants from developing countries

Diverse academic and financial support programs are available for participants from the developing countries in regards to registration fees, accommodations and travel grants.

Convenience during the whole stay  from arrival to departure

The award-winning airport, comfortable accommodations, go-anywhere transportation, attractive places to see, convenient shopping and more create a most memorable trip for all participants.

See, Hear, Feel Korea

Korea offers an abundance of activities and festivals including Temple stay, DMZ tours, traditional SPAs, which are only available in Korea. Korea, with the 5,000-year history embraces the cosmopolitan flair of modern cities. Korean history stretches back thousands of years, and its culture is rich, complex and totally unique. Various palaces, fortresses, gates, museums and monuments are located all over Seoul, allowing visitors to experience the rich historical assets first hand.

Above all, the enthusiasm of KNA for the WCN 2017

Despite aforementioned advantages, nothing can be more important than the enthusiasm of Korean neurologists in hosting this glorious congress for the neurologists from all over the world. We believe that our enthusiasm for hosting the WCN 2017 in Korea will be the main key for the success of the WCN 2017.