Nova Southeastern University recently issued the following announcement.
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is proud to announce that physician and neuroscientist Eduardo Locatelli, M.D. is joining the Shark Family as the Medical Director of the newly created NSU Health Neuroscience Institute. The institute will be located in NSU’s Center for Collaborative Research located on the Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus.
“We are thrilled about our new NSU Health Neuroscience Institute and welcome Dr. Locatelli to lead this new venture,” said Dr. George Hanbury, NSU’s President and CEO. “NSU is a leader in the health professions and this new institute is another step forward for teaching, learning and research.”
At the institute, Dr. Locatelli’s research will focus on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and he will also treat patients with other neurological conditions, including epilepsy, seizures and Alzheimer’s Disease.
“Dr. Locatelli brings a wealth of knowledge to NSU and is a welcome addition to the NSU family,” said Johannes Vieweg, M.D., FACS, the founding dean of NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine. “NSU has a long tradition of health care excellence – from our health professions colleges to our clinical operations – and the Neuroscience Institute is yet example of NSU’s preeminence in education and research.”
This is a homecoming of sorts for Dr. Locatelli as he earned his Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from NSU in 2005. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Colegio Nacional A. de Valle, Argentina, and earned his MD from Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dr. Locatelli moved to the United States with his family in 1990, and then joined The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. He completed a fellowship in Neuroscience, followed by his internship, general Neurology residency–where he was a Chief Resident–and a neuromuscular and epilepsy fellowship at George Washington University, in Washington, D.C.
“Our new Neuroscience Institute is another resource that will increase NSU’s research footprint while also offering expanded services to our community,” said Elaine Wallace, D.O., M.S., M.S., M.S., M.S., the dean of NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine. “We’re lucky to have Dr. Locatelli as part of NSU’s Health Professions Division.
Dr. Locatelli comes to NSU from Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, where he was the Executive Medical Director of the Phil Smith Neuroscience Institute. There, he developed the ALS Center of Excellence. His journey did not begin with ALS, however.
Dr. Locatelli first joined Holy Cross to develop Neuroscience after creating his own start up, the Florida Neuroscience Center (“A Brain Center with Heart and Soul”), where he developed the second Epilepsy Center in Broward County after he created the first one at Cleveland Clinic Florida. He served as the Director of Medical Informatics at Cleveland Clinic Florida and was the Chief Medical Information Officer at Holy Cross.
Dr. Locatelli strives to serve his community in the best and toughest of times. He was the Chief Medical Officer and Incident Commander at Holy Cross during the COVID-19 pandemic. During his tenure, he led all hospital operations, spearheaded research initiatives seeking viable antiviral treatments and he was instrumental in the creation of the Vaccination Center.
Dr. Locatelli has been deeply involved in ALS Research, including clinical trials sponsored by the Sean M. Healey Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital, ALS genetic studies, and expanded access programs. He is excited to bring his leadership, wealth of knowledge, and current research to the welcoming and amazing environment provided by the university.
“This presents exciting opportunities for both NSU and South Florida residents,” said Harry Moon, M.D., NSU’s Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, who also oversees NSU Health. “Not only will the institute be the home of innovative medical research, it will also provide our community best-in-care treatment of movement disorders and progressive neurological diseases. With Dr. Locatelli at the helm, NSU will be positioned as a preeminent leader in the teaching, research and treatment of these conditions.”
NSU welcomes Dr. Locatelli and looks forward to the great work we aspire to do together.
Some of Dr. Locatelli’s professional highlights include:
- Became Interim CMO and Incident Commander at Holy Cross Health (HCH) during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Established COVID-19 Vaccination Center at HCH
- Chief of Neurology at HCH: Created and developed the Neuroscience Institute to a group of 25 providers and 70 employees in 14 years
- Developed Epilepsy, ALS, Parkinson’s/Movement Disorders, Migraine and Stroke programs at HCH
- Received over 12 million dollars in philanthropic endeavors trusted to his name at HCH with multiple donors for diverse purposes
- Led the creation and development of the Phil Smith Neuroscience Institute as its Executive Medical Director
- Established the first ALS Center of Excellence in Broward County
- Championed the first EPIC installation at Cleveland Clinic Florida
- Established the first (CCF) and second (HCH) Epilepsy Centers in Broward County
- Participated in the launch of the first Accountable Care Organization (ACO) at HCH, member of the operating committee, and Chair of the Quality Subcommittee
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