CINCINNATI—Matthew Flaherty, MD, assistant professor of neurology at the University of Cincinnati (UC), is being awarded the 2009 Michael S. Pessin Stroke Leadership Prize for his research in stroke treatment.

Flaherty will receive the award during the 61st annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) April 25-May 2 in Seattle. He is an AAN member.

Flaherty is being recognized for his research accomplishments, including leadership of the “Spot Sign for Predicting and Treating Intracerebral Hemorrhage Growth Study” (STOP-IT Study), which was designed to find a better way of selecting stroke patients for treatment. The study includes a test to help doctors predict which patients who suffer a stroke with bleeding in the brain will experience further bleeding which can cause additional injury. Patients will be given either a fast-acting drug to stop bleeding or a placebo as part of the study.

“While there are no proven, effective treatments for intracerebral hemorrhage, the model being evaluated in the STOP-IT Study may eventually lead to a medical treatment that improves outcomes for stoke patients,” says Flaherty.

The Michael S. Pessin Stroke Leadership Prize is sponsored by the AAN and endowed by the family, friends and colleagues of Dr. Pessin, who died in 1996.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as multiple sclerosis, restless legs syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, narcolepsy, and stroke.