Announcements

International Headache Research Seminars alternate between the US and Europe

Advances in Headache Medicine and Science and the growing need for an International forum to discuss, present, and debate research on headache disorders led to the establishment of “The International Headache Research Seminars” almost two decades ago. To this date, sixteen highly successful Seminars have been conducted in Copenhagen, Denmark. Professor Jes Olesen has been the energetic and enthusiastic host and organizer during these years, and he was assisted by leading International Headache experts. Many pharmaceutical companies who realized the importance of headache medicine, and the dissemination of its clinical and basic research, generously supported IHRS through unrestricted grants, free of commercial interests or biases.

A different headache research theme was the focus of each yearly seminar, which was organized in collaboration with leading International experts in the particular field. Programs always included a balanced mix between strong basic science and clinical headache medicine. Accordingly, basic researchers, clinicians, and clinician-scientists all exchanged the latest and the greatest in headache medicine and science, and young investigators met with established leaders in the field. Also, the proceedings of the Seminars were published in 15 highly esteemed and well referenced books.

Participation at IHRS was largely European despite the open invitation to researchers and scientists throughout the World. Indeed, many Headache experts from the US actively participated in the Seminars but travel logistics have been tasking, and at times prohibitive despite the high quality of the meetings. Furthermore, young trainees and investigators from North America hardly could attend the Seminars.

North America has many outstanding headache medicine meetings but none in the IHRS format where 100–200 participants focus on the basic and clinical sciences of one particular headache topic, during an intense, weekend long gathering of young and established investigators. The desire to conduct such a meeting and the success of the IHRS throughout the years prompted Professor Olesen and his colleagues to plan for alternating Seminars between the US and Europe, Chicago in even years and Copenhagen in uneven years. Professor Nabih Ramadan at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science will be the host of IHRS in Chicago, and the first Chicago meeting will be held at the Wyndham Chicago Hotel, March 7–9, 2008 . Another new structure within IHRS is the establishment of yearly advisory committees who will provide major support in planning and organizing the meetings. Major scientific headache organizations and institutions will be solicited for names of advisors and for support. Seeking unrestricted and unbiased funding from the pharmaceutical industry will continue. Also, grants will be submitted for potential funding from not-for-profit educational foundations and from relevant governmental agencies.

Contact person

Nabih M. Ramadan, M.D., FAAN, FAHS

Vice President for Strategic Development

Professor and Chair, Department of Neurology

Acting Chair, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine

Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago, IL 60064

Telephone # [phone] (Assistant: Joyce Lenz)

Fax # [phone]

email address: [e-mail]

http://www.rosalindfranklin.edu