Dr. Reich is recognized for his achievements in developing new MRI methodologies
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has recognized Daniel S. Reich, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Translational Neurology Section at NINDS, as one of its 2023 Fellows. He joins 501 other scientists, engineers, and innovators who have been elected for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements throughout their careers.
As a clinician-scientist, Dr. Reich regularly sees patients with multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders, and he also leads several clinical studies focusing on multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr. Reich’s research focuses on using advanced MRI techniques to better understand the processes underlying MS and other neurological conditions and on adapting those techniques for use in research trials and general patient care.
Some of Dr. Reich’s scientific achievements while at NINDS include the use of high-powered MR Ito identify “smoldering lesions” in the brains of some people with MS—these markers could be used as a marker for a more aggressive and disabling forms of the disorder.
In 2022, Dr. Reich’s lab collaborated with a team at the University of Philadelphia to demonstrate that a small, portable MRI scanner could successfully detect white matter lesions, offering the potential to improve access to this important diagnostic tool.
Finally, Dr. Reich’s work has also provided insight into how waste is drained from the human brain via a system termed the “glymphatic system.” More recently, his group collaborated with Jonathan Kipnis from Washington University in St. Louis to demonstrate previously unknown direct links between the brain and its surrounding environment, a finding that has implications in a variety of immune conditions and neurological disorders.