Excellence in Neuroscience Research and Education showcased at Joint ABN INA meeting 2023

Prof. Brian Sweeney, Dean of Irish Institute of Clinical Neuroscience (IICN), and Dr. Tom Warner, President of the Association of British Neurologists (ABN), welcomed all those attending the meeting. Dr. Warner noted that planning and preparation for this joint meeting had progressed over a number of years, and he paid tribute to the leading  organisers of the meeting, Dr. Raeburn Forbes and Dr. Carolyn Gabriel, and to the staff of the ABN and the INA. The meeting content and the featured Speakers promised a fantastic meeting.

Dr. Warner advised that the ABN has over 1700 members, many of whom sit on Advisory Committes, Executive and Council. The combined efforts of all of these participating members contribute towards providing the best CPD and education experience for members. Delegates were encouraged to familiarise themselves with the meeting app, which provided complete information about the meeting, including the programme, a venue map to navigate to different meeting rooms and the facility to submit questions to Speakers during meeting sessions.

Dr. Forbes noted that the original proposition of holding a joint meeting was the brainchild of Prof. Mary Reilly. This initial proposal was warmly embraced by both the ABN and the IICN, the annual meeting of the latter organisation being the Irish Neurological Association(INA) Meeting. The enormous disruption caused by the COVID pandemic resulted in the necessary postponement of the meeting for a number of years. However this delay only enhanced the appetite and goodwill towards making this joint meeting a success as an expression of friendship in a tumultuous time. Dr. Forbes anticipated the ABN Medallist Lecture, to be delivered by Prof. Reilly, as a most apposite and valued highlight of the meeting. 

Thanks were expressed to the sponsors of the meeting and delegates were encouraged to visit the exhibition stands of sponsors and of exhibitors.  

To view the detailed meeting programme please click the link to the Meeting website here

Dr. Michael Murphy was awarded the Harold Millar Prize for best overall presentation at the Joint Meeting, for his study Acute symptomatic seizures – the 3-year mortality rate

Dr. Mohammed Hijaz Adenan was awarded the John Kirker prize for the Best Epilepsy Related presentation at the meeting for his study The Role of Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in Epilepsy

Poster tours and presentations were highlights of the meeting, exhibiting the full range of specialty study across the neurology disciplines. Conducted tours by designated specialists, allowed delegates to view research investigations and case analysis, inviting authors to present their posters and to answer questions in relation to their studies.