Huntington Study Group Welcomes New Leadership May 1

The Huntington Study Group (HSG) is pleased to announce that Andrew Feigin, MD, and Elise Kayson, MS, ANP, have been elected as the chair and co-chair, respectively, of HSG, a world-wide network of Huntington disease (HD) researchers. Both Feigin and Kayson have dedicated their careers to the clinical care of patients and families and research in HD.

Feigin and Kayson will begin their four-year term as chair and co-chair May 1, 2018, succeeding Ray Dorsey and Blair Leavitt, who along with Julie Stout, Joni Steinman, and Shari Kinel, expertly led HSG through the last four years. They were democratically elected by HSG’s world-wide membership of more than 500 investigators, coordinators, and other researchers and care providers.

Feigin, a Professor of Neurology at NYU Langone Health and co-director of the Marlene and Paolo Fresco Institute for Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders, has been involved in the care of HD patients and research since his participation in the Venezuela Collaborative Research Group, which isolated the HD gene 25 years ago. Kayson, Director of Clinical and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Rochester’s Center for Health + Technology (CHeT), has been involved in the care of HD patients and research since the inception of the HSG and was one of the founders of the organization.

Feigin’s independent research has focused on the development of novel imaging biomarkers that could be used as outcome measures for HD clinical trials. He has served in many HSG leadership positions over the past 20 years, including as a member of the Executive Committee, chair of the Program Committee for the HD Clinical Research Symposium for five years, and currently chairs the Clinical Research Advisory Committee. Feigin is the principal investigator (PI) of the SIGNAL trial and the co-PI of LEGATO-HD, and has served as a site PI on numerous other HD trials. “I am honored and excited to serve as the Chair of this amazing organization as the most exciting new potential therapies for HD are now entering human trials,” Feigin said.

Prior to leading CHeT’s Clinical and Strategic Initiatives, Kayson was the Director of Project Management for the Clinical Trials Coordination Center (CTCC) at the University of Rochester and previously worked in industry. In addition, Kayson’s long involvement in all aspects of more than 50 clinical trials and the FDA approval of the only two drugs for HD gives her a deep understanding of clinical trial design, organization and conduct, and insights into and appreciation of HD clinical trials from the perspective of study participants to coordinators, investigators, CRO functions, and sponsors. She has served in many leadership positions in HSG, including as a member of the Executive Committee, co-chair of the HSG Credentials Committee, and co-chair of the HSG Educational Committee. “It is exciting to be part of the momentum of research in HD. I am honored to serve as the HSG Co-Chair and look forward to reaching the goal of finding treatments that make a difference for our patients and families,” said Kayson.

HSG appreciates all the candidates who ran for these positions and salutes their enthusiasm and commitment to the entire election process. In addition, we thank each of our members who attended the webinars, viewed the webpages, and took the time to cast votes for this important election.

As HSG begins our 25th year of seeking treatments that make a difference, let’s join in congratulating our new leadership and wishing them the very best as they pursue their vision of partnerships, innovation and education to bring an exciting future to HSG.