EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE ON MAY 3, 2004

ORLANDO(May 3, 2004) - John A. Jane Sr., MD, was presented with the 2004 Cushing Medal, the highest honor granted by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) at 12:05 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4, at the AANS Annual Meeting, May 1-6, 2004, in Orlando, Florida. He is being honored for his many years of outstanding leadership and dedication to the field of neurosurgery.

The Harvey Cushing Medal, the highest honor the AANS can bestow on a member, was established at the recommendation of President Lester Mount, MD, in 1976. Given annually since 1977, the Award recognizes an AANS member for distinguished service to the field of neurosurgery.

John A. Jane, PhD, FRCS, attended the University of Chicago School of Medicine and graduated with a medical degree in 1956. Dr. Jane completed his internship at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal and began his neurosurgical residency at the University of Chicago. Dr. Jane was a fellow in neurophysiology at the Montreal Neurological Institute in 1958 and a senior fellow and demonstrator in neuropathology in 1959 and 1960 at McGill University in Montreal.

In 1961, Dr. Jane went to London to serve as a research assistant to Sir Wylie McKissock, FRCS, at St. George's Hospital. He also worked at the National Hospital at Queen Square where he conducted his seminal research on the natural history of intracranial aneurysms. Subsequently, he returned to Duke University to study with Dr. Irving Diamond, and in 1967 was awarded his PhD degree from the University of Chicago, Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Biopsychology.

Dr. Jane served his neurosurgical residency from 1963 to 1964 at the University of Illinois Neuropsychiatric Institute. After four years at Case Western Reserve University, he assumed his current position as the Alumni Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. He became the David D. Weaver Professor in 1987.

Dr. Jane has served as Director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and as Vice President and President of The Society of Neurological Surgeons. He has served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Neurosurgery since 1984 and was elected Editor in 1992. In 1992, Dr. Jane also was recognized as the AANS Distinguished Service Award Recipient. In 1985 he received the Grass Award and was the Olivecrona Lecturer. He also received the Alumni Award for distinguished service from the University of Chicago. His clinical interests and research have been dedicated to the treatment of head injury, disorders of the spine and pediatrics. In addition, he was one of the originators of modern techniques for the treatment of craniofacial disorders.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 6,500 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to patients. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves.

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Media Representatives: If you would like to cover the meeting or interview a neurosurgeon - either on-site or via telephone - please contact the AANS Communications Department at 847/378-0517 or call the Annual Meeting Press Room beginning Monday, May 3, at 407/685-5408.