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Dr. Jonathan Mink receives Child Neurology Society’s highest honor

Oct. 8, 2021

Jonathan W. Mink, M.D., Ph.D., the Frederick A. Horner M.D. Distinguished Professor in Pediatric Neurology and Chief of Child Neurology at University of Rochester Medical Center, has been awarded the Child Neurology Society’s (CNS) 2021 Hower Award.

The award is the organization’s highest honor and is given annually to a child neurologist recognized as an outstanding teacher, scholar, and for making high levels of contributions to the field and the CNS, Mink served as president of the CNS from 2017-2019.

Jonathan Mink, M.D. Ph.D.
Jonathan Mink, M.D. Ph.D.

In his early career, Mink studied the neurobiological basis of Movement Disorders and developed the prevailing model of how the basal ganglia of the brain contribute to motor control. Since moving to the University of Rochester in 2001, he has focused on clinical research in Movement Disorders, including Tourette syndrome, and Batten disease. Mink is a dedicated teacher and mentor and many of his students have gone on to become child neurologists and physician-scientists. He is currently the Director of the University of Rochester Batten Center, co-director of the University of Rochester Tourette Center of Excellence, and co-director of the University of Rochester Intellectual and Developmental Diseases Research Center.

He was recognized at the society’s annual meeting, where he delivered the Hower Award lecture entitled “On Mentors and Protégés: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants and Following Footsteps into the Future.”

“Receiving the Hower Award is a tremendous honor,” Mink said. “I have had the privilege to learn from so many giants and to learn even more from the students, residents, and fellows I have mentored. Each protégé has led me to explore new questions and new directions. The contributions recognized by this award would have not been possible without their inspiration and partnerships.”

The Child Neurology Society is the preeminent non-profit professional association of pediatric neurologists in the United States, Canada, and worldwide.