International Women Associates Global Dialogue
Virtual Program in partnership with the
International Press Club of Chicago
"Covid-19: a Global threat to the Nervous system – and what you can do to help!"
Presented By:
Igor Koralnik, M.D.
Archibald Church Professor of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Chief of Neuroinfectious Diseases and Global Neurology at Northwestern Medicine
Director, Global Neurology Program Institute for Global Health
Thursday, April 15, 2021
Zoom Doors Open: 11:45 a.m. CDT
Program and Q&A: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CDT
Don't miss the opportunity to hear and ask Dr. Koralnik questions after his presentation at this virtual program!
Join us on April 15 to hear Dr. Koralnik's presentation about the global threat COVID-19 poses to the entire nervous system. Many patients who are recovering from COVID-19 continue to experience symptoms such as headache, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, decreased smell or taste, weakness, or muscle pain. Igor Koralnik, MD, the Archibald Church Professor of Neurology, is a world-recognized expert in research on how viruses attack the brain. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Koralnik and his laboratory have focused and shown that virus variants with specific mutations can infect different cell types in the brain. He has discovered, named, and characterized three novel diseases of the brain caused by infection of neurons and meningeal cells with virus variants.
In an effort to better understand and more effectively treat the neurological manifestations of COVID-19, Northwestern Medicine launched one of the first Neuro-COVID-19 Clinics in the United States in May 2020. By responding to the pandemic so quickly, the Division of Neuro-Infectious Disease & Global Neurology within the Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology has become an international clinical care and research leader as well as a trusted source of information. Dr. Koralnik and his team have developed unique expertise understanding how COVID-19 can lead to cognitive dysfunction, brain fog, and other neurologic problems experienced by patients after their hospitalization for COVID-19 pneumonia, as well as non-hospitalized COVID-19 “long haulers.” A study by Dr. Koralnik and fellow researchers revealed that almost one in three COVID-19 patients admitted at Northwestern developed encephalopathy—which means alteration of the brain functions. Their findings and medical recommendations have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and many international news outlets.
While much has been discovered about the short-term impact of COVID-19 on the brain and nervous system, little is known about the long-term impact of this disease. There is an urgent need for more research, and philanthropy will play an important role in enabling the Division of Neuro-Infectious Disease & Global Neurology to drive innovation in clinical care and revolutionize our understanding of how viruses, like COVID-19, affect the nervous system.
ABOUT DR. IGOR J KORALNIK, M.D.
Dr. Koralnik serves as Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine’s Archibald Church Professor of Neurology, as well as Chief of the Division of Neuro-Infectious diseases & Global Neurology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He is a physician-scientist with 25 years of experience in caring for patients with infectious diseases affecting the nervous system, including HIV and COVID-19. His laboratory has made many important discoveries in this field, leading to improved diagnosis, management, and treatments. Dr. Koralnik and his team are closely affiliated with a number of Northwestern Medicine centers and institutes, including the Institute for Translational Neuroscience, the Institute for Global Health, and the Comprehensive COVID-19 Center. The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology is consistently ranked in the top 5 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
To see the American Academy of Neurology member spotlight highlighting the activities of the Neuro-Covid clinic, the research, and the participation of Northwestern medical students and trainees, please click HERE.
For Dr. Koralnik's full bio and publications please click HERE.
For Questions: info@ipcc.us
IWA Member Contact: Sevil Kutay
