American Syringomyelia & Chiari Alliance Project

🧠 How do you get Chiari? 🤔

John Heiss, MD presents: " Mechanisms for the Development of Chiari I Malformation"

Dr. Heiss will discuss 7 mechanisms causing Chiari I malformation, how to distinguish them on MRI scans, and how treatment is tailored to the mechanism of CM I development. The influence of genetic factors on these mechanisms will be mentioned. The talk will conclude by summarizing how advances in genetics, imaging, outcome studies, and surgical experience influence the care of patients with Chiari I malformation.

📆 July 28-29!
⚠ Reserve your spot: https://tinyurl.com/ASAPConference2026

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Learn more about our distinguished speakers: https://tinyurl.com/asapspeakers2026

National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institutes of Health (NIH)

⚠ Reserve your spot: https://tinyurl.com/ASAPConference2026
📆 July 28-29!

Carina Yan, MD, from University of Chicago - Department of Neurosurgery, presents: "Lowering the Bar on MR: MR: A Deep Dive into Craniocervical Pathologies"

Foundational concepts and tips on orientation to and basic image interpretation of MRI of the brain, craniocervical junction, and spinal cord will be reviewed, in relation to various craniocervical pathologies. Get ready to be guided by an academic neuroradiologist to increase your familiarity with imaging of normal anatomy and more common disease processes.

💻 ASAP's 38th Annual Conference is VIRTUAL!

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Learn more about our distinguished speakers: https://tinyurl.com/asapspeakers2026

💧Syringomyelia Vs. Dilated Central Canal

Michael Levy, MD presents: " Syringomyelia, Syrinx, and Central Canal Dilation"

Dr. Levy will discuss the radiographic appearances of these abnormalities in addition to the proposed mechanisms as to why they occur. He will also discuss patient presentation and manifestations, as well as the neurosurgical management and follow up of each and when surgical intervention is considered appropriate or not.

📆 July 28-29!
⚠ Reserve your spot: https://tinyurl.com/ASAPConference2026

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Learn more about our distinguished speakers: https://tinyurl.com/asapspeakers2026

UC San Diego School of Medicine
Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego

🧠 Dr. Brian Dlouhy from University of Iowa Health Care discusses "Surgical Failure in Chiari— What to do Next"

Dr. Dlouhy will review the common causes of failed Chiari surgery, discuss a systematic approach to postoperative evaluation, and present evidence-based strategies for revision treatment. Emphasis will be placed on identifying the underlying mechanism of failure and tailoring surgical management to optimize patient outcomes.

📆 Join us for FREE July 28-29!
🎟 Register today https://tinyurl.com/ASAPConference2026

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Learn more about our distinguished speakers: https://tinyurl.com/asapspeakers2026

University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital University of Iowa

⚠️Don't miss this speaker session!

"Beware of CSF Pressure Disorders Mimicking Chiari Malformations & Syringomyelia"

By Linda Gray, MD from Duke Neurosurgery

You asked. We listened.
📆 Join us for FREE July 28-29!

🎟 Register today 🎟 https://tinyurl.com/ASAPConference2026

Duke University Hospital Duke Spine

🚨 Announcing exciting new research

Project Title: Improving Quality of Life with AI for Chiari Malformation Patients
Grant Recipient: Moss Y Zhao, DPhil
Institution: Stanford University

Our research will develop AI-powered tools to detect hidden brain movements in Chiari Malformation patients and predict how well they will recover after surgery. Our project has two main goals: (1) create an AI system that enhances brain imaging to reveal subtle brain movements and (2) use AI to predict which patients are most likely to benefit from surgery by analyzing their pre-surgical data.

📖 Learn more about this study: https://asap.org/current-research/

Stanford Neurosurgery Stanford Neuroradiology Moss Zhao

☀️ Heat intolerance is REAL for many people living with CM/SM and associated disorders like dysautonomia and POTS.

When the autonomic nervous system struggles to regulate temperature, even everyday summer heat can trigger:
💧 Dizziness
💧 Headaches
💧 Fatigue
💧 Brain fog
💧 Rapid heartbeat
💧 Increased pain & neurological symptoms

Staying cool and hydrated isn’t just about comfort — it can help reduce symptom flares and support overall wellness.

Helpful reminders this summer:
✔️ Drink fluids consistently
✔️ Avoid peak heat hours
✔️ Use cooling towels, fans, or ice packs
✔️ Rest when symptoms worsen
✔️ Eat hydrating foods like watermelon, cucumber & oranges
✔️ Listen to your body

Learn more about heat intolerance, nervous system dysregulation, hydration tips, nutrition, and symptom management in the ASAP community

👉👉 https://asap.org/heat-intolerance-in-syringomyelia/

🚨 Announcing exciting new research for neurosurgery advancements.

Project Title: Myodural Bridge (MDB) Inflammatory Pathology in Chiari I Malformation – RNA-based Study of MDB Tissue
Grant Recipient: Patricia Sullivan, MD; CoPIs: Margot Martinez-Moreno, PhD; Petra Klinge, MD
Institution: Brown Health University

The impact of this work is twofold: it may help unravel whether Chiari malformation is a condition that involves whole-body connective tissue and inflammatory processes rather than a purely local structural problem, and it may enable the development of more precise, biologically targeted therapies.

🔎 Read more about this study and other current research projects: https://asap.org/current-research/
👩‍⚕️Dr. Petra Klinge will be speaking at the ASAP 2026 Virtual Conference July 28-29: https://tinyurl.com/ASAPConference2026

Brown University Brown University Health

🎉 Congratulations to the recipients of the 2026 Timothy M. George Fellowship Award!

Presented by the American Syringomyelia & Chiari Alliance Project (ASAP), this award supports promising medical students, residents, and neurosurgeons dedicated to advancing research in syringomyelia, Chiari malformation, and related disorders.

Through their commitment to scientific discovery and improved patient care, these researchers are helping shape a brighter future for our community.

Please join us in celebrating this year's award recipients and their important contributions to the field! 👏💙💜

https://asap.org/current-research/fellowships-and-awards/

See Dr. Ravindra live during ASAP's free virtual conference: https://tinyurl.com/ASAPConference2026

University of Utah Neurosurgery University of Utah Health