L. to R. Dr. Bryan Lynch, Dean, Irish Institute of Clinical Neuroscience; Dr. Timothy Counihan, Consultant Neurologist, University College Hospital Galway; Dr. Áine Merwick, Specialist Registrar in Neurology, Mater Misericordiae Hospital; Dr. Michael Jansen, Specialist REgistrar in Neuropathology, Cork University Hospital; Dr. Seán O' Riordan, Consultant Neurologist, St. Vincent's University Hospital; Dr. Dominick McCabe, Consultant Neurologist, AMNCH.

The 13th Registrar’s Prize in Clinical Neuroscience was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Ballsbridge, Dublin on November 5th, 2010. Registrars and Specialist Registrars from all areas of clinical neuroscience on the island of Ireland, who had carried out research during their training at an Irish neuroscience centre, were invited to submit abstracts for presentation in two separate categories:

• I. Original Research
• II. Interesting Case Reports.

Presentations

A total of 11 original research studies and 13 case reports were presented. The meeting director, Dr. Dominick McCabe, Consultant Neurologist and Clinical Senior Lecturer at AMNCH and TCD, paid tribute to all of the presenters for their extremely confident, informative and stimulating presentations. He also thanked the junior and senior members of the audience for their keen participation that added to the success of the event, and the experienced independent judges (Dr. Tim Counihan and Dr. Sean O’Riordan) and chairpersons (Prof. Timothy Lynch and Prof. Orla Hardiman) who gave up their time to ensure the smooth running of the meeting.

 The papers delivered at the meeting indicated the high quality of clinical and translational neuroscience research ongoing in Ireland, and also reflected the academic commitment of the senior clinical neuroscientists who supervised the research.

Above: Dr. David Bradley.

Above: Dr. Dominick McCabe, Dr. Timothy Counihan and Dr. Seán O'Riordan

Dr. McCabe particularly thanked Ms Colette Fitzpatrick, Administrator, Irish Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, for her expert organisation of the event at this excellent venue.

Above: Dr. Christopher McGuigan, Dr. Seán Connolly and Dr. Catherine Keohane.

The Dean of the Irish Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Dr. Bryan Lynch, thanked Dr. McCabe for dedicating his time and expertise to this meeting, while Prof. Hardiman noted that Dr. McCabe had been the recipient of the very first Registrar's Prize thirteen years previously. 

Right: Dr. Susan Byrne and Professor Orla Hardiman

Awards

The prize for the best Original Research presentation was awarded to Dr Áine Merwick, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, for her paper entitled: ‘Addition of brain and carotid imaging to the ABCD2 score to improve identification of patients at high early stroke risk after transient ischaemic attack. Merwick Á, Albers GW, Amarenco P, Arsava EM, Ay H, Calvet D, Coutts SB, Cucchiara BL, Demchuk AM, Furie KL, Giles M, Labreuche J, Lavallée P, Mas JL, Olivot JM, Purroy F, Rothwell PM , Saver JL, Sheehan ÓC, Stack JP, Walsh C, Kelly PJ.’ 
Dr. Merwick's paper is published in the Lancet Neurology 2010 November. To view the paper please click on the link to follow Lancet November 2010

Right: Dr. Bryan Lynch, Dr. Timothy Counihan, Dr. Aine Merwick, winner of the award for best research presentation, Dr. Sean O'Riordan and Dr. Dominick McCabe.

The prize for the best Interesting Case Report went to Dr Michael Jansen, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin for his paper entitled: ‘Painful generalised dysaesthesia, palatal myoclonus, bilateral inferior olivary hypertrophy and a unilateral brain stem lesion. Jansen M, Costigan D, Farrell M.’

 Left: Dr. Bryan Lynch, Dr. Timothy Counihan, Dr. Michael Jansen, winner of the award for best interesting case presentation, Dr. Seán O'Riordan and Dr. Dominick McCabe 

Dr. McCabe encouraged all presenters to submit their data for publication in peer-reviewed journals to inform the medical and neuroscience community, and to enhance the clinical and academic profile of the presenters, Hospitals and Universities involved. The future of Irish clinical neuroscience looks very promising.

Dr. Mike Alexander	Prof. Tim Lynch and Dr. Oliver Tobin	Dr. Seán Connolly	Dr. Gemma Cummins and Dr. Jennifer Williams	Dr. John Phillip O'Dwyer

The meeting was sponsored by Janssen, and in view of the ongoing importance, success and popularity of the meeting, Janssen has kindly agreed to sponsor the event next year also. The date for next year’s meeting will be announced in early 2011.