The Johns Hopkins University Division of Brain Injury Outcomes (BIOS) is pleased to announce the inaugural recipients of the Ann Dana Kusch Predoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Research and Innovation: Shannon Hillery and Daniel Amirault. Funding to establish the fellowship was awarded in late 2020 by the Kusch and Molbert families in honor of their mother, Ann Dana Kusch, a long-time supporter of BIOS Director Daniel F. Hanley, MD, and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
One of the hallmarks of the Dana and Kusch families’ philanthropy over the past several decades has been funding for innovative and cutting-edge medical research. Their willingness to provide seed funding at critical junctures for new initiatives and research studies has paved the way for countless investigators. In fact, it was their early support of Hanley’s work that enabled development of the world’s first neurocritical care research program and an accompanying academic research fellowship at Johns Hopkins. Since the family’s initial philanthropic investment, Hanley has received more than 70 clinical and basic research grants, has published nearly 300 articles in peer-reviewed journals, and has accumulated more than 35 years of clinical trials experience in the fields of stroke, hemorrhage, trauma, and brain infections. Of the nearly 100 researchers he has mentored directly, his trainees have led brain intensive care units across the United States and worldwide; more than 50 have been named full professors, program leaders, or department chairs.
The 2021 Ann Dana Kusch Fellows
The inaugural class of fellows are both exemplary early-career BIOS investigators who have demonstrated they are ready for new challenges.
Since joining BIOS in October 2017, Shannon Hillery has proven herself to be an invaluable member of any clinical trial team. Her responsibilities include project management and support as well as performance tracking across multiple multicenter trials. She also pilots and contributes to multiple systemic innovations and working groups. Hillery holds leadership roles in the Accelerated Site Start-Up management team and communications team for various clinical trials. She completed the Science of Clinical Investigation Training Program at JHU in May 2019 and is a Towson University graduate with a BS in psychology.
Hillery’s fellowship project will concentrate on the foundation of a successful clinical trial: the study planning phase. Her project aims to standardize the work the PI team, coordinating centers, and study partners must perform prior to engaging in site onboarding. She will develop and validate a formal checklist, guideline, and best practices presentation that will establish a new standard for planning multicenter clinical trials.
Daniel Amirault, who joined BIOS in late 2018, has become adept at navigating the complexities of IRB and FDA submissions. This has made him a vital resource for Johns Hopkins researchers and their collaborators nationwide. His responsibilities include project support and management of central IRB documentation and agreements; preparation of regulatory documents for submission to the FDA; and serving as administrator for several multi-institutional working groups focused on developing innovations in clinical trial management. He graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a BS in biomedical engineering.
Amirault’s fellowship will pursue two aims. The first is to marshal an interdisciplinary and multi-institutional team of clinical trial administrators to define and publish a first-of-its-kind manuscript exploring the incorporation of gaming and incentives into clinical trial operations and administrative tasks. The second aim is to develop an academic paper and poster presentation on the ethical considerations and regulations that govern the gamification of clinical trials.
These talented young researchers will leverage the extensive portfolio of BIOS clinical trials as the basis for individual scientific development. Some of their existing responsibilities have been shifted to ensure they have time to focus on their fellowship projects. Each has been assigned a BIOS faculty mentor.
The Fellowship
Through their research and involvement with BIOS clinical trials, trainees experience one-of-a-kind career opportunities and contribute to important scientific discoveries. This one-year fellowship will support entry-level or early-career investigators at BIOS over the next four years. It is open to applicants with bachelor’s or master’s degrees, particularly those with education or experience in fields such as neuroscience, epidemiology, medicine, nursing, psychology, public health, engineering, clinical trials, and statistics. Those with doctoral degrees, such as MDs and PhDs, are prohibited from applying.
Applications for next year’s fellowship will be available in fall 2021, with a planned start date of April 1, 2022.
The BIOS Division is a clinical trial coordinating center (data management center, imaging reading center, and enrollment center) within the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Department of Neurology. Its focus is to provide multicenter management to clinical trials evaluating therapeutic, preventive, and diagnostic interventions.