GRENOBLE, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CEA-Leti announced today that Prof. Alim-Louis Benabid, chairman of CLINATEC, has been honored by a second major U.S. Parkinson’s disease (PD) organization for his work in treating PD.
Benabid received the Jay Van Andel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Parkinson’s Disease Research at Van Andel Institute’s Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease Symposium in September. The award recognizes his invention of deep brain stimulation (DBS), a highly specialized method used to treat specific kinds of neurological diseases, including Parkinson’s disease.
“Dr. Benabid has made an incredible contribution to the treatment of Parkinson's disease by developing deep brain stimulation,” said Patrik Brundin, director of the Van Andel Institute’s Center for Neurodegenerative Science. “Today over 140,000 advanced Parkinson’s patients have undergone DBS treatment, which essentially changes the ‘electric connections’ in the brain, and they are able to move remarkably much better thanks to Dr. Benabid's invention.”
Benabid, who has received many honors during his career, was awarded the 2013 Robert H. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research from the Michael J. Fox Foundation earlier this year.
“The Van Andel Institute’s research program has a powerful impact on biomedical research in cancer and Parkinson’s disease, with an emphasis on translating scientific research results into clinical applications,” Benabid said. “I am honored to receive this award, and I’m proud to highlight the CLINATEC team’s ongoing work on infrared brain stimulation to improve treatment of PD, and perhaps severe depression, Alzheimer’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome and other neurological conditions.”
Benabid helped found CLINATEC, the multidisciplinary biomedical research center created by Leti, Grenoble University Hospital, INSERM and Joseph Fourier University in 2009. The center allows medical practitioners, researchers, biologists, and technologists to collaborate on the frontier of health care and micro- and nanoelectronics. Using a unique biomedical and surgery platform, CLINATEC’s main objective is to accelerate and make safer the translation of technological innovation for treating patients.
Benabid has centered his scientific activity on the approach of neurosurgical pathologies, particularly brain tumors and movement disorders. From 1989 to 2007, he was head of the Neurosurgery Department at the University Hospital of Grenoble. He currently is a professor emeritus of biophysics at Joseph Fourier University.
About CEA-Leti
By creating innovation and transferring it to industry, Leti is the bridge between basic research and production of micro- and nanotechnologies that improve the lives of people around the world. Backed by its portfolio of 2,200 patents, Leti partners with large industrials, SMEs and startups to tailor advanced solutions that strengthen their competitive positions. It has launched more than 50 startups. Its 8,000m² of new-generation cleanroom space feature 200mm and 300mm wafer processing of micro and nano solutions for applications ranging from space to smart devices. Leti’s staff of more than 1,700 includes 200 assignees from partner companies. Leti is based in Grenoble, France, and has offices in Silicon Valley, Calif., and Tokyo.
Visit www.leti.fr for more information.
About Van Andel Institute
Established by Jay and Betty Van Andel in 1996, Van Andel Institute (VAI) is an independent research and educational organization based in Grand Rapids, Mich., dedicated to preserving, enhancing and expanding the frontiers of medical science, and to achieving excellence in education by probing fundamental issues of education and the learning process. Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), VAI’s research arm, is dedicated to studying the genetic, cellular and molecular origins of cancer, Parkinson’s and other diseases and working to translate those findings into effective therapies. This is accomplished through the work of more than 200 researchers in on-site laboratories and in collaborative partnerships that span the globe. Find out more about Van Andel Institute or donate by visiting http://www.vai.org.
