Dr. Michael Buckland

BSc(Med), MB BS, PhD, FRCPA

Associate Professor, Discipline of Pathology at the University of Sydney, Australia

Dr. Michael Buckland is a senior staff specialist and Head of the Department of Neuropathology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.  He is the Director of the Australian Sports Brain Bank and Australian Veterans Brain Bank, and has published the first reports of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in retired players of rugby league and Australian rules football. 

Presentation Topic:  Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Australia: The first 6 years of the Australian Sports Brain Bank

Dr. Inga Katharina Koerte

MD PhD

Professor of Neurobiological Research in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, cBRAIN, LMU University Hospital Lecturer in Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Mass General Brigham Harvard Medical School

Inga Koerte received her M.D. in 2006 from Ludwig-Maximilian-University (LMU) Munich, Germany. She started her clinical work at the Department of Pediatric Neurology, Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, LMU, where she also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the laboratory of pediatric neurophysiology. In 2008 she started her radiological training focusing on neuroradiology at the Institute for Clinical Radiology, LMU. Inga joined the PNL in 2009 while completing a research fellowship on the application of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in developmental disorders. Over the last five years her research has focused on advanced MR imaging techniques of neurophysiologic processes during diseased and healthy brain development as well as on neuroimaging of traumatic brain injury. Since June 2014, Inga is Professor of Neurobiological Research at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic, and Psychotherapy at LMU in Munich as well as Visiting Professor at Harvard Medical School.

Presentation Topic: Neuroimaging of Repetitive Head Impacts

Dr. Chris Nowinski

Neuroscientist, co- founder and CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, Boston University School of Medicine, USA

Dr. Chris Nowinski is the founding CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, a charity based in the United States with chapters in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Dr. Nowinski trained as a behavioral neuroscientist at Boston University School of Medicine after a 2003 concussion ended his career as a professional wrestler in the WWE. His experience with post-concussion syndrome inspired him to try to change the culture of concussions and co-found the world’s first CTE-focused brain bank at Boston University in 2008.

Presentation Topic: Conquering the Controversy of CTE Causation: When Science and Advocacy Collide

Dr. Miriam Beauchamp

PhD

Neuropsychologist Canada Research Chair in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Montreal
 Researcher and Director of the Brain & Development Axis, Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center

Miriam Beauchamp is Full Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Montreal and at the Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center where she leads the ABCs developmental neuropsychology laboratory. She holds the Canada Research Chair in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury. In 2017, she was recognized as Quebec’s most promising early career researcher (Prix du Québec-Relève scientifique). She was awarded early career awards from the International Neuropsychological Society (2015) and the International Brain Injury Association (2019), and was inducted to the College of New Scholars of the Royal Society of Canada (2019). Her work has been featured in 175 publications.

Presentation Topic: Bridging the early childhood concussion gap using unique developmental approaches

Dr. Douglas Fraser

MD, PhD, FRCPC

Professor and Clinician Scientist, Western University

Dr. Fraser is a Professor and Clinician Scientist in Critical Care/Trauma Medicine at Western University, and Director of the Translational Research Centre. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and he is a Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of NeuroLytixs, Inc., a diagnostics-based biotech company. Dr. Fraser’s research is focused on identifying diagnostics/prognostic biomarkers for acquired brain injuries.

Presentation Topic: Blood Biomarkers of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Dr. Shawn Marshall

MD, MSc, FRCPC

Division Head, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Ottawa Hospital, Canada

Shawn Marshall is a specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Professor and Division Head of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Ottawa and the Ottawa Hospital. He is also Department Head of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Bruyere Continuing Care.  His clinical practice focuses on acquired brain injury rehabilitation where Dr. Marshall manages in-patients as well as out-patient clinics for persons with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries. He is also involved in assessment and treatment of persons with mild TBI/ concussion and persisting symptoms. He has a Master’s of Science Degree in Epidemiology and Community Health and is active in research involving brain injury rehabilitation, concussion and persisting symptoms as well as driving and disability.

Presentation Topic: Living Concussion Guidelines for Adults

Dr. Mark Bayley

MD, FRCPC

Program Medical Director and Physiatrist-in-Chief, UHN-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute; Professor, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Mark Bayley is Program Medical Director and Physiatrist-in-Chief at UHN-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. He is a Professor at the University of Toronto in the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Bayley has held a number of health system leadership roles including Chair of the Stroke Evaluation Committee at Corhealth Ontario, Brain injury committee at Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation, the Canadian Stroke Best Practices Committee, and the Vice Chair of the GTA Rehab Network. His work has helped redesign rehabilitation systems in Canada. He has led large randomized controlled trials including the Stroke Canada Optimization of Rehabilitation by evidence (SCORE), Fluoxetine to open the Window of Stroke Recovery (FLOW) study, the Getting on with Life after stroke and the EVREST (Efficacy of Virtual Reality Exercises using Wii gaming technology in STroke Rehabilitation). He has been very interested in implementing evidence at a health system level in the areas of stroke and brain injury, initially through the development of stroke rehabilitation guidelines, then through a leadership role in the development of the Canadian Stroke strategy (www.strokebestpractices.ca), a smartphone app to determine post-stroke arm rehabilitation (www.viatherapy.org) and guidelines for concussion and traumatic brain injury (www.braininjuryguidelines.org). He is also actively involved in research to promote neurological recovery.

Presentation Topic: Are Concussion Patients on The Path to Best Practice Concussion Care? Experience from Neurotrauma Pathways Initiative

Judith Gargaro

BSc; MEd

UHN – Toronto Rehab, KITE Research Institute

Judy Gargaro has extensive experience working in the fields of brain injury and spinal cord injury as a clinician researcher and quality improvement and implementation expert. She has worked a local, regional and provincial level with a particular focus on ensuring that persons after brain and spinal cord injuries receive equitable best practice care and the needed services and supports to optimize long-term living in the community. Currently, she is the director of the Ideal Care Pathways initiative for concussion, moderate to severe brain injuries and spinal cord injuries in Ontario.

Presentation Topic: Are Concussion Patients on The Path to Best Practice Concussion Care? Experience from Neurotrauma Pathways Initiative