Through the Foundation for International Education in Neurosurgery (FIEN), she had an opportunity to work with full-time neurosurgeon, Dr. John Mugamba, treating children at the  CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda (CCHU) in Mbale, Uganda.

CCHU is a 35 bed teaching hospital that was started ten years ago and remains the only pediatric hospital dedicated to neurosurgical disease in all of East Africa.

Fontana says, “It was started because there is such a high incidence of infectious hydrocephalus and spina bifida throughout much of East Africa.”

Treating patients in this hospital contrasted severely with what she was used to in the US.  In particular, she says, “In the types of pathology I was seeing, which are unique to underdeveloped countries.  Also, the severity and frequency of the diseases is very different.  People come in very late so the progression of the disease is already way past when we would normally treat it in the US.  For example, we see myelomeningoceles in the US but they present very differently.  In the US they are usually treated within the first 48 hours after birth but in Africa they would come in a week or month after birth, and they would already be infected by the time they arrived at the hospital.”

Making things worse were the limited medical resources.  Fontanta says, “That was frustrating at times. For example, there is only one MRI machine in the whole country- and it is very low resolution.  It was also frequently difficult to obtain critical medications, including certain antibiotics and anticonvulsants.  After surgery, the children and parents would often have to travel hundreds of miles by moped or minivan to extremely poor living conditions, and this poses a real challenge for post-operative care.  They didn’t necessarily have good access to clean water or good nutrition, and certainly they didn’t have access to services like physical therapy that we would normally provide.”

Dr. Fontana highly recommends the experience to other physicians and says, “In addition to being another set of hands, what we really bring is a different perspective.  We are bringing dialogue to people who are practicing in isolation.  The vast majority of surgeons in Africa are there by themselves. There is a lot of benefit to discussing challenging cases with other surgeons, and I found that even as a resident, my thoughts were very much appreciated”

To learn more and to find out how you can help see http://www.projectcure.org

This fellowship will last two years, during which time Mikell says he, “plans to study dopamine neurons in awake patients undergoing surgery for Parkinson’s Disease.  This will be part of a larger project to develop a novel neurosurgical therapy for schizophrenia.”

Congratulations Dr. Mikell!

He also won the Mayfield Award for an abstract he submitted to the Spine Section of the American Association of Neurosurgeons (AANS) called, “Spinal Accessory and Intercostal Nerves to Bypass Spinal Cord Injury.”  He worked on this with Dr. Christopher J. Winfree from the  Center for Peripheral Nerve Surgery

Finally, he won the Leksell Award for another abstract submitted to the AANS called “Efficacy of Facial Nerve-Sparing Microsurgery and Stereotactic Radiosurgery with Gamma knife in Preserving Facial Nerve Function in Patients with Recurrent Acoustic Neuromas.” He worked on this with Dr. Michael B. Sisti and Dr. Steven R. Isaacson from the Gamma Knife Center.

Congratulations Dr. Haque, you make us very proud!

To learn more about peripheral nerve bypass surgery after spinal cord injury see our previous blog: Spinal Cord Bypass Surgery “Breathes” New Life Into Man’s Legs.

Research Fellow in Neuro-oncology at The Gabriele Bartoli Brain Tumor Laboratory, Irving Cancer Research Center, Columbia University Medical Center;
The University of Chicago Brain Tumor Center, Neuro-oncology Research Fellowship 2008;
National Autonomous University of Mexico Faculty of Medicine, M.D. 2007.

Honors/Awards:

Runner-Up prize from the Award of the American Academy of Neurological Surgery, 2011

Oral presentation for top 10 abstracts at the plenary session from the Society of Neuro-Oncology Meeting, Canada, 2010

Recipient of the Research Update in Neuroscience for Neurosurgeons Award 2009 by the Society of Neurological Surgeons for the project entitled: “Longitudinal Assessment Of The Evolution Of Glioblastoma: Sequential Steps Required for Tumorogenesis Following p53 Deletion and PDGF Overexpression.”

Gabino Barreda Medal for the Highest Academic Achievement, National Autonomous University of Mexico Faculty of Medicine, 2008

Elected by The Carolina Foundation and the Spanish Government to represent Mexico in The Iberoamerican leadership congress held in Spain and Portugal, 2006

Scholarship for graduate studies in Spain by The Spanish Government and The Carolina Foundation, 2006

Best research project in Philosophy of Medicine at the Student Research Congress organized by the Department of History and Philosophy of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico Faculty of Medicine, 2004

Honors/Awards:
Alpha Omega Alpha, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2008
Gold Humanism Honor Society, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2008
Young Neurosurgeon Medical Student Award, American Association of Neurologic Surgeons, 2008
Doris Duke Clinical Fellowship, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2006/2007
Alpha Omega Alpha Carolyn L. Kluckein Research Award, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2007
Dean’s Travel Grant, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2004
Weissman Travel Fellowship, Harvard College, 2001

Professional Memberships
American Medical Association, Resident Member
Congress of Neurologic Surgeons, Resident Member

Honors/Awards:
Alpha Omega Alpha, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2007
Sigmund L. Wilens Prize, Excellence in Pathology, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2007
Albert B. Knapp Scholarship for Highest Academic Achievement, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2007
Magna Cum Laude, Cornell University, 2003
Frank Rhodes Scholarship, Cornell University, 2002

Professional Memberships:
American Medical Association, Resident Member
Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Resident Member

Honors/Awards:
Alpha Omega Alpha, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, 2007
1st Place “Outstanding Clinical Science Poster Presentation”, 32nd Annual Eastern-Atlantic Student Research Forum, 2006
Graduated with Distinction, University of Victoria,2001

Honors/Awards
George G. Reader Prize in Public Health, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 2006
Alpha Omega Alpha, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 2006
Russek Fellow, American College of Cardiology NY Cardiovascular Symposium, 2004

Professional Memberships
American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Resident Member
Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Resident Member

Honors/Awards
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Research Training Fellowship for Medical Students, 2005
William B. Bean Student Research Award, American Osler Society, 2005
Stanford Medical Scientist Fellowship, 2004
Stanford Arts & Humanities Medical Scholars Grant, 2002
New York Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation Summer Student Fellowship, 2001
Lupus Foundation of America Gina Finzi Memorial Fellowship, 1997

Professional Memberships
Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Resident Member

Honors/Awards
American Neurological Association Medical Student Summer Research Award, 2003
American Academy of Neurology Summer Scholarship, 2003
Summer Scholarship Student; Aspen Music Festival and School, 2001
Derek Bok Center Teaching Award, Harvard University, 2000
Harvard College Research Program Grants, 1998
Invited Speaker; Harvard College Research Program Spring Symposium, 1998
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Summer Research Grant, 1998
American Digestive Health Association Undergraduate Grant, 1996