Research

Our program strongly supports and encourages to do research. Our focus is on Clinical research projects. Extensive database in many of the specialty fields allows our residents to develop unique research topics.

Dr. Kevin Kelly, Dr. Thomas Scott and Dr. Carol Schramke are pleased to serve as the primary contacts and mentors for those residents seeking an extended and individualized research exposure during their training.

Senior Residents at AAN 2024

Neurology scholarly activities

2019 - 2021                                                                                                           

Accepted poster presentations at National Meetings                            Current & Post Graduates

• International Stroke Conference, Denver CO – February 9-12, 2021             (13) Abstract Submissions – R. Chandra, A. Ravelo, V. Pawate               Acceptances pending     
• AANEM Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL - October 7-10, 2020                      Timothy Quezada, Sandeep Rana…                                                                          1. “Case of Refractory Seropositive Myasthenia Gravis Induced by Check      Point Inhibitor Therapy” – [Poster]       
• Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual Meeting - Orlando, FL May 27-30, 2020                                                                                   Jikku Zachariah, DO, Rebecca Schorr, MPH, Tim Quezada, DO, and Thomas   F. Scott, MD                                                                                                                   1.  “Determining the effect of early versus later diagnosis of MS on long     term prognosis in the real world setting” [Poster]    
• American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting - Toronto, ON, Canada April 25 to May 1, 2020                                                                        Timothy Quezeda, DO, Bahareh Sianati, MD, James Valeriano, MD                       1.  Vaping and Seizure Risk: A Case Report [Poster]                                 Varun Pala, MD, Bahareh Sianati, MD, Thomas Scott, MD                                         2.  Rapid onset drug induced neutropenia associated with Ocrelizumab        in Multiple Sclerosis [Poster]                                                                       Varun Pala, MD, Sandeep S. Rana, MD, Andrea Synowiec, DO                                  3.  Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis - A case with a mismatch of clinical      and radiological picture [Poster]                                                             Bahareh Sianati, MD, Arthur Alcantara Lima, MD, James Valeriano, MD             4.  Stereotactic radiosurgery of corpus callosum in a patient with      refractory seizures [Poster]                                                                                 Arthur Alcantara Lima, MD, Alexander Yu, MD, Russell Cerejo, MD                         5.  Cervical Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma and Spinal         Manipulation Therapy: Case Report and Review [Poster]                                  Aaron Ravelo, MD, Stephen Abel, MD, Thomas Scott, MD, Alexander Yu         MD,  Rodney E Wegner, MD                                                                                         6.  Trends in Radiotherapeutic Management and Outcomes in          Esophageal Brain Metastases [Poster]                                                        Spurthi Surpur, MD, Varun Pala, MD, Ashish Tayal, MD                                              7.  Lyme Neuroborreliosis presenting as bilateral multiple cranial nerve      deficits [Poster]
• International Stroke Conference, Los Angeles, CA – Feb 19-21, 2020      Varun K. Pala MD, Rahul Chandra MD, Aaron Ravelo MD, Christopher Hackett MA, Russell Cerejo MD                                                                                       1. “Predictive Value of CT Perfusion In Hyperacute Ischemic Stroke       patients” [Poster]                                                                                                   Bahareh Sianati MD, Rebekah Heintz BA, Patty Noah RN MSN, Ashis Tayal MD, David Wright MD, Russell Cerejo MD                                                                      2.  “Incorporating CT-Perfusion Imaging in Acute Stroke Therapy          Workflow Does Not Delay Door-to-Needle Time for Intravenous  t-PA”             [Poster] 
• Annual American Epilepsy Society (AES), Baltimore, MD – Dec 6-10, 2019 Tyler Scott, D.O., Carol J. Schramke, Ph.D., Kevin M. Kelly, M.D., Ph.D., Andrea Synowiec, D.O., and James P. Valeriano, M.D.                                              1.  “Diagnosing Psychogenic Non Epileptic Seizures: Characteristics of patients who do not have events during video EEG Monitoring” [POSTER] 
• Pennsylvania Neurological Society Annual Meeting (PNS) Drexel University College of Medicine/Valley, King of Prussia, PA – October 5-6, 2019           Rahul Chandra MD, Marianna Vinokur, DO and Sandeep Rana MD                        1.  “Management of patients with Immune Check Point Inhibitor (ICPI)             induced autoimmune encephalitis” [Poster]  - Placed THIRD                               Marianna Vinokur DO and Troy Desai, MD                                                              2.  “Case of Anti-Hu Sensory Neuronopathy and Encephalitis” [Poster] –          HONORABLE Mention                                                                                             Murat Sari, MD, Bahareh Sianati, MD, Sandeep Rana, MD, Jody Leonardo,     MD, and Thomas F. Scott, MD                                                                                    3.  “Anti-GAD65 Associated Encephalitis, A Case Report” [Poster]                     Varun Pala, MD, Bahareh Sianati MD, and Thomas F. Scott MD                            4. “Neutropenia associated with Ocrelizumab in Multiple Sclerosis”                   [Poster]                                                                                                                        Spurthi Surpur MD, Austin Oblack DO, Bahareh Sianati MD, and Sandeep       Rana MD                                                                                                                         5. “Burden of Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis in metastatic             rectosigmoid adenocarcinoma” [Poster]                                                Sukhmani Sandhu, MD, Rahul Chandra, MD and Sandeep Rana, MD                       6. “Rare occurrence of isolated cerebral mucormycosis” [Poster]

ACCEPTED Manuscripts                                                                                              Current & Post Graduates

1. Rahul Rahangdale, MD, Thomas F. Scott, MD, Timothy Leichliter, MD, Susan Baser, MD, and James Valeriano, MD “A Case of Paroxysmal Dystonia Associated with LGI-1 Antibody Encephalitis” Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2019 Nov;186:105508. doi: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2019.105508. Epub 2019 Sep 3.

2. Igor B. Títoff, D.O., Victoria Títoff, D.O., Thomas F. Scott, M.D. “Is Baseline Routine Renal Ultrasound Indicated for All MS Patients?” Postgrad Med J. 2019 Oct 13. pii: postgradmedj-2019-136838. doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2019-136838. [Epub ahead of print]

3. Sandeep Rana, MD, FAAN, Arthur Alcantara Lima, MD, Rahul Chandra, MD, James Valeriano, MD, Troy Desai, MD, William Freiberg, DO, and George Small, MD “Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Associated Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Case Report” Journal of Clinical Neuromuscular Disease. 21(4):240-242, June 2020.

SUBMITTED Manuscripts

1. Bahareh Sianati, Sandeep S. Rana, Murat Sari, Jody Leonardo, and Thomas F. Scott “Autoimmune encephalitis associated with Anti-GAD 65 antibodies” Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders Manuscript submission 

2. Tanvi Rana, Chris Hackett, Tim Quezada, Veli Bakalov, Abhishek Chaturvedi, and Sandeep Rana “Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Graduate Medical Education: Resident Perspective”   Journal of Graduate Medical Education

Ongoing clinical trials

National presentations almost every year by our residents at:

• American Academy of Neurology

• American Society of Neuroimaging

• American Epilepsy Society

• International Stroke Conference

• Pennsylvania Neurological Society

Other scholarly activity

• Annual Neuroscience Research Symposium
  
• Quality Improvement Projects in Allegheny Health Network

• Journal Club - Monthly

• Morbidity and Mortality – quarterly

• Presentations at Combined Neurology - Neurosurgery, Neuropathology & Neuroradiology conference

• Wellness Initiatives