The International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience (ISAN) has elected The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research's Valentin Pavlov, PhD, as president in recognition of his dedication and research of the brain and autonomic nervous system, particularly in the regulation of inflammation and metabolism. Dr. Pavlov was presented this honor during the ISAN's 12th Congress session in Australia.

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Dr. Valentin Pavlov is a professor at the Feinstein Institutes’ Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine. (Credit: Feinstein Institutes)

For 25 years, ISAN's mission is to promote the dialogue and dissemination of knowledge resulting from basic and clinical research on the autonomic nervous system – the part of our body's nervous system that controls involuntary physiologic processes, including heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and digestion.

Dr. Pavlov is a worldwide scientific leader whose research focuses on the nervous system's role in regulating inflammation. Inflammation is a vital response to infection and injury, however, if uncontrolled, inflammation can lead to various diseases and conditions such as Crohn's disease or rheumatoid arthritis, among others. Dr. Pavlov has dedicated more than two decades to understanding the brain-body communication in the regulation of inflammation and helped pioneer the field of bioelectronic medicine.

“It is a privilege and honor to take up the mantle of president for the International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience. It is also a testament to the bioelectronic medicine research being conducted at the Feinstein,” said Dr. Pavlov, professor at the Feinstein Institutes’ Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine. “Research is impactful only when it involves strong communication and collaboration; through the ISAN, I will continue to encourage scientific exchange to progress our understanding of the brain and the autonomic nervous system so that we can find new treatments for many diseases.”

Dr. Pavlov’s research has led to the discovery that brain signaling plays a vital role in the neural control of immune function and inflammation, which is functionally associated with the vagus nerve-mediated inflammatory reflex. Dr. Pavlov’s current NIH-funded research uses optogenetic – or light modulation techniques – and 3D imaging to provide further insights into the role of the brain and the vagus nerve in the regulation of inflammation.

“Dr. Pavlov's election to president of the International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience is timely evidence of his leadership in bioelectronic medicine,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes and Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research. “His work both at the Feinstein Institutes and as editor of the peer reviewed journal Bioelectronic Medicine has been a major driving force in the field of autonomic neuroscience.”

Most recently, Drs. Pavlov and Tracey published an article in the journal Neuron outlining preclinical and clinical research in bioelectronic medicine, highlighting potential hope for patients who live with inflammatory diseases, paralysis, cancer, diabetes and other disorders.

About the field of bioelectronic medicine:

The Feinstein Institutes is the global scientific home of bioelectronic medicine, an emerging scientific field that combines molecular medicine, neuroscience and biomedical engineering to develop innovative therapies using computer-based technologies and devices instead of drugs. The science looks to treat various inflammatory diseases and conditions through the electrical stimulation of nerves, including paralysis, arthritis, pulmonary hypertension, Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, diabetes and cancer.

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the home of the research institutes of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Encompassing 50 research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its five institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health system science, and molecular medicine. We make breakthroughs in genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn

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