AAN Award Recipients Recognized at 2025 Annual Meeting

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) recognized several individuals for their achievements, research contributions, service, and commitment to the field of neurology. These award recipients were announced and celebrated at the AAN 2025 Annual Meeting.   

The AAN President’s Award was presented to Janis M. Miyasaki, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FAAN for her outstanding service to the AAN and the profession of neurology. Dr. Miyasaki is the Neurology Division Director in the Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta and Co-Director of the Neuropalliative and Advanced Symptom Management Clinic. Dr. Miyasaki has demonstrated leadership in the AAN as a member of the Board of Directors, treasurer, and vice president of the AAN. She has also served on many committees in the organization, including Brain Health, Education, Meeting Management, and Practice. Dr. Fu recently served as the Guest Medical Editor for the September/October 2024 issue of Practical Neurology devoted to movement disorders. 

The AAN Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Merit E. Cudkowciz, MD, MSc, FAAN for her significant contributions to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research. Dr. Cudkowicz is the Head of the Department of Neurology, Chief of Neurology, and Director of the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA, where she works to investigate and develop new therapies for ALS as part of the innovative PLATFORM-ALS Trial. Dr. Cudkowicz recently joined the Practical Neurology team to discuss PLATFORM-ALS as part of our Amplifying the Patient Journey podcast series.

Additional 2025 AAN Service Award recipients are as follows:

Association of Indian Neurologists in America (AINA) Lifetime Achievement Award

Sponsored by the Association of Indian Neurologists in America Fund of the American Brain Foundation.

Jai Kumar, MD, FACP, FAAN

Garland, TX

Changemaker Award

Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology.

Charles C. Flippen II, MD, FAAN UCLA

David Geffen School of Medicine

Los Angeles, CA

General Neurology Award

Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology.

Richard Cuneo, MD

University of California, San Francisco

San Francisco, CA

Kenneth M. Viste, JR, MD, Patient Advocate of the Year Award

Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by gifts from Dr. Viste’s colleagues, friends, and patients.

Kapil Arya, MBBS, DA, FAAP, FACNS, FAAN

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Little Rock, AR

Mridha Spirit of Neurology Award

Sponsored by the American Brain Foundation and endowed by gifts to the Dr. Debasish and Chinu Mridha Endowment Fund.

Monica Diaz, MD, MS

University of North Carolina

Chapel Hill, NC

Melissa Elafros, MD, PhD

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI

Rajesh Shankar Iyer, MD, DM

Kovai Medical Center and Hospitals

Coimbataore, Tamil Nadu, India

Neurology Practice Award

Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology.

Neurology One Orlando, FL

Ted Burns Humanism in Neurology Award

Sponsored by the American Brain Foundation.

Mehari Gebreyohanns, MD, FAHA, FAAN

UT Southwestern Medical Center

Dallas, TX

Volunteer Service Award

Nirmal Surya, MD, DNB, FAAN

Surya Neuro Centre

Mumbai, India 2025

Recipients of the AAN Education Research Grant are as follows:

Katherine Fu, MD

University of California, Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA

Nuri Jacoby, MD, FAAN SUNY

Downstate Medical Center

Brooklyn, NY

Nicholas A. Morris, MD, FAAN

University of Maryland Medical Center

Baltimore, MD

For details on AAN awards and the full list of recipients in each category, visit aan.com/research/award-recipients.