WASHINGTON (April 16, 2007) - Darell D. Bigner, MD, PhD, was named 2007 Honorary Member by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) at 12:15 p.m. on Monday, April 16 at the AANS Annual Meeting – Celebrating AANS’ Diamond Jubilee – April 16-19 in Washington, D.C. This recognition is open only to those individuals whose Honorary Membership adds distinction to the ranks of the organization. Candidates must be internationally renowned, and have made outstanding educational, research, or clinical contributions to the field of neurosurgery. Dr. Bigner has played an integral role in advancing innovative research efforts as a member of the AANS Neurosurgical Research and Education Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee over the last 17 years.

Dr. Bigner came to Duke University in 1963 as a medical student and has remained for the past 41 years, with the exception of two years spent at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 1968 to 1970. He is the Edwin L. Jones, Jr. and Lucille Finch Jones Cancer Research Professor, director of the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Institute at Duke. Dr. Bigner is also co-program leader of the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Neuro-Oncology Program, vice-chairman ofInvestigative Pathology, and director of the Preuss Laboratory for Brain Tumor Research.

He is founding editor-in-chief of Neuro-Oncology, and chairman of the Scientific Review Board of the National Cancer Center , the Brain Tumor Society, and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

Considered a leading authority in the field, Dr. Bigner has published more than 450 full-length manuscripts, books, chapters, and reviews on brain tumors. His laboratory is the lead laboratory in Duke’s Neuro-Oncology Program, with the goals to study basic mechanisms of neoplastic transformation and mechanisms of altered growth control in malignant brain tumors and tumors that metastasize to the brain and spinal cord.

Dr. Bigner has been awarded his third consecutive MERIT award by the National Cancer Institute. The MERIT Award is a highly selective award presented by the NIH that recognizes superior researchers who have demonstrated outstanding competence and productivity in research endeavors. Dr. Bigner’s MERIT award, “Brain Tumors: Immunological and Biological Studies” is in its 36 th consecutive year of funding, and is the longest continuously funded grant in NCI’s Division of Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy. He is also principal investigator of a NINDS Specialized Research Center grant on primary and metastatic tumors of the central nervous system, the Duke NCI Brain Cancer SPORE, and numerous foundation grants.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 6,800 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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