Devlin receives first-ever Sacco Scholarship
The American Academy of Neurology and the American Heart Association awarded the first-ever Ralph L. Sacco Scholarship for Brain Health to Patrick Devlin, PhD, postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Neurology.
Devlin receives a $150,000 two-year scholarship to support continuing scientific research in brain health, and he also will receive the professional distinction of being named the inaugural Sacco Scholar. Cyprien Rivier, MD, MSc, of New Haven, Conn., also earned the Sacco Scholarship.
The Ralph L. Sacco Scholarships in Brain Health, also known as the Sacco Scholars program, are made possible by a generous bequest to the American Academy of Neurology and the American Heart Association from the late Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS, FAAN, FAHA. Sacco was the only neurologist to have served as president of both organizations. He passed away in 2023 from a brain tumor.
“For more than 20 years, Dr. Ralph Sacco served as a dedicated volunteer for the American Heart Association, particularly leading the acceleration of our investment into and emphasis on brain health. He was the first neurologist to ever serve as our volunteer president,” said Nancy Brown, the American Heart Association’s chief executive officer. “He had big ideas and put them into action in ways that improved and saved the lives of all people. One of his greatest joys was mentoring young scientists, boosting their careers the same way icons of previous generations did for him. I am so proud to be able to welcome our first-ever Sacco Scholars in memory of my dear friend.”
Devlin is a postdoctoral research fellow in the lab of Rodney Ritzel, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Neurology. He is being awarded the scholarship for his research on the after-effects of stroke, specifically how the brain may age more quickly after a stroke, including the aging process of immune cells in the brain. The goal of Devlin’s research is to increase understanding of cognitive decline and dementia after stroke so that new treatments can be developed for people who have had a stroke, resulting in fewer complications such as memory loss. This is especially important to improve long-term quality of life as more people are surviving strokes thanks to advances in stroke diagnosis, treatment, and care.
“It was important to Dr. Ralph Sacco to support continued research in brain health because, as he said, each and every one of us only has one brain, and it is critical to keep it as healthy as possible,” said Carlayne E. Jackson, MD, FAAN, American Academy of Neurology president. “We look forward to the inaugural year of this scholarship program with the first two Sacco Scholars and the vital research they will do to help find ways for all of us to improve our brain health.”