University of California neurologist, research-scientist and clinician, Dr Rhonda Voskuhl, MD, is the inaugural winner of the Rachel Horne Prize.
Dr Voskuhl was awarded the prize at the 2023 Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS meeting in Milan, Italy, for her work looking at sexual differences in susceptibility and progression in MS and identifying potential therapies to improve outcomes.
"I am honoured to receive the Rachel Horne Prize," said Dr Voskuhl. "It has taken women in positions of influence in clinics, laboratories, newsrooms and politics to embrace the invaluable clues revealed by sex differences research. The remaining unmet need is to translate findings to novel treatments optimally tailored for women. I hope the prize raises awareness and advances the goal of developing such treatments."
Founder of the award Rachel Horne, said, "Dr Voskuhl is such a deserving recipient of the prize due to her ground-breaking work into why women are three times more likely to get MS compared to men, and how to target treatments to modify disease progression."
ECTRIMS President Professor Mar Tintoré noted, "For more than 25 years, Dr Voskuhl has dedicated her career to sex related research and has paved the way to advance women's health in particular. We are thrilled that she has been recognised with this award."
Dr Voskuhl is Professor of Neurology at UCLA, holds the Jack H Skirball Chair for Multiple Sclerosis Research, and is Director of the UCLA Multiple Sclerosis Programme.
