September 2013 – Conferences and Presentations

September 27, 2013 – Dr. Smith spoke at the Instituto de Biologica y Medicina Experimental in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

October 3, 2013 – Dr. Smith made a brief presentation at the Annual NEALS Conference in Clearwater, Florida regarding an ongoing Treatment Trial that is testing the effect of Nuedexta on speech and swallowing in patients with ALS. This is funded by the ALS Association with additional support provided by NEALS and the Massachusetts General Hospital from funds donated by a patient.

Nuedexta Developed

Nuedexta®, a drug discovered at CNS and developed by Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc., was approved for sale in the European market in June. For more information about this exciting news, visit here.

April 2013 – Meeting Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking: In April 2013, Dr. Hawking visited San Diego to pay tribute to a former classmate and benefactor for his research. During his brief stay in San Diego, Dr. Smith was able to follow-up a meeting that he had with Dr. Hawking in Cambridge, in 1991. At that time Dr. Hawking agreed to write the Prologue for "Handbook of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis," that Dr. Smith edited. The book was published a year later but Dr. Hawking had not seen it. Further, at their initial meeting, Dr. Hawking asked if Dr. Smith was aware of a cure for ALS. Thinking that both the book and a recent paper authored by Dr. Smith and his colleagues regarding a therapeutic strategy for treating ALS, would be of interest to Dr. Hawking the organizers of the visit agreed to arrange the meeting which took place April 13. The Prologue is an inspiring document written by one of the great minds of the 20th & 21st Century.