WCN Awards

Best Young Neurologist Investigator Award

A single award of $1,000 was presented to a deserving recipient.

To be considered for this award, applicants were required to meet the following criteria:

• Have submitted an abstract to WCN 2025.
• Be a neurologist in training or early in their career, hold an M.D. or equivalent medical degree, occupy a position not above that of Associate Professor, and be no older than 45 years at the time of WCN 2025.
• Be a member (trainee or neurologist) of their country’s neurology association or society.
• Upload a PDF CV along with a supporting letter from their department chair (or equivalent) during abstract submission. Submissions missing this information were not considered.

The winner was selected by a subcommittee of the WFN Education Committee based on the quality of the abstract and the supporting documentation.

The Elsevier Awards

In 2025, Elsevier presented six awards of $1,000 each to first authors of outstanding abstracts: three for Clinical Papers and three for Research Papers. All accepted abstracts were considered for these awards. Winners were notified by the secretariat following the review of abstracts.

It is important to note that the winners of these awards, as well as the Munsat Award winner, delivered their lectures during a Free Communication session, with the date and time indicated in the program.

UNCOVERING DISEASE CLUSTERS AND MOLECULAR OVERLAPS IN DEMENTIA: A NETWORK-BASED COMORBIDITY ANALYSIS Martina Salzillo (Italy) Dr. Martina Salzillo is a Neurology resident at La Sapienza University of Rome and currently holds a clinical research fellowship at the University College London – Dementia Research Centre. Since medical school, she has focused her clinical and research activities on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. She is an active member of the European Academy of Neurology, where she serves on the Dementia and Cognitive Disorders panels. Her recent study, building the first integrated clinical and molecular diseasome of dementia, reveals novel insights into dementia networks and their links to other diseases.

	COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL AND BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT ACCORDING TO AMYLOID POSITIVITY: A LARGE MULTI-CENTER KOREAN COHORT Seung Ae Kim (Korea)   Dr. Seung Ae Kim is a neurology resident at Seoul National University Hospital and a PhD candidate in Translational Medicine at Seoul National University. Her research spans a broad range of topics in neurology, including dementia, headache, and cerebrospinal fluid disorders. She is particularly interested in bridging clinical practice with translational and biomarker-based research, aiming to connect clinical observation with scientific understanding to improve patient care.
	CLUSTERING OF CORTICAL THICKNESS PATTERNS IN MIGRAINE: ASSOCIATION WITH CLINICAL PHENOTYPES Noboru Imai (Japan)   Dr. Noboru Imai is Director of the Headache Center and Chief of the Department of Neurology at Shizuoka Red Cross Hospital, Japan. He completed his neurology training at Kitasato University and holds a Doctor of Medical Science degree. His research focuses on migraine pathophysiology, cortical imaging, and neuromodulation, with numerous publications in international journals.
	SEIZURE OUTCOMES IN CONCORDANT VS DISCORDANT ICTAL ONSETS IN ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM WITH IMAGING SUBSTRATE IN PEDIATRIC AND ADULT FOCAL DRUG-REFRACTORY EPILEPSY: LARGEST SOUTHEAST ASIAN COHORT S Sidharth (India)   Dr. S. Sidharth is a dedicated and passionate young neurologist graduated from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, with a strong foundation in both clinical practice and research. His academic journey began with an MBBS from the prestigious Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi, and an MD in Internal Medicine from Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi. Dr. Sidharth’s remarkable contributions to neurology have been recognised through prestigious awards such as the International Scholarship from the American Academy of Neurology 2024, the Young Investigator Award at WSC 2024, and the World Muscle Society Travelling Fellowship Award 2023. He has authored multiple publications in esteemed medical journals and presented research on epilepsy, neuro-immunology, stroke, movement disorders, and neuromuscular disorders at international forums. His leadership, research acumen, and dedication to advancing neurology make him a standout professional in the medical field.

	THE PREVALENCE OF DELIRIUM IN CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS WITH NEUROLOGICAL INJURIES IN AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ICUS Xiuxian Pham (Australia)   Dr. Xiuxian Pham is a neurologist with subspecialty training in clinical neurophysiology and neuromuscular disorders based in Melbourne, Australia. She undertook a fellowship in Clinical Neurophysiology and Neuromuscular Disorders at Alfred Health in Melbourne. Dr. Pham is currently completing a PhD through the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, exploring neurocritical care services with a focus on the landscape in Australia. Her research work includes publication of a systematic review and meta-analysis of the association of neurocritical care services with mortality and functional outcomes for adults with brain injuries in JAMA Neurology.
	DELAY IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT INITIATION OF TUBERCULAR MENINGITIS: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY FROM INDIA Riya Sharma (India)   Dr. Riya Sharma, born in 1994, holds an MD in Internal Medicine (2022) and has recently completed her DM in Neurology (2025) from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India. Her key areas of interest include neuroinfection, neuroinflammation, neuroimmunology, and neuromuscular disorders. She has authored seven peer-reviewed publications and contributed three book chapters, and has presented her research at national and international conferences. She has also received two awards for case presentations and academic quizzes at the national level. Dr. Sharma is passionate about neurology and remains committed to advancing patient care through research, teaching, and academic collaboration.
	THE BURDEN OF CHRONIC NEUROINFECTIOUS DISEASES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: PRELIMINARY INSIGHTS FROM AN ONGOING COHORT STUDY IN MAPUTO CENTRAL HOSPITAL, MOZAMBIQUE Helena Buque (Mozambique)   My name is Helena Agostinho Buque, I am a 38-year-old Mozambican woman, young neurologist (two years), and Master in Public Health. I am currently a PhD student in Clinical Research and Translational Medicine at Algarve University. I work at the largest hospital in Mozambique, combining clinical practice with research on neurological infections. I am also involved in stroke care and movement disorders, helping to improve services and patient outcomes. I actively teach medical students and residents, aiming to strengthen local medical training. Outside of science, I enjoy reading books on self-help, personal development, and productivity.