Feb 1. 2016
The Huntington's Disease (HD) Center founded and directed by Perelman CCMT Director of Clinical Programs, Dr. Pedro Gonzalez-Alegre, has been designated a Center of Excellence by the Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) for 2016. This is an important recognition of Dr. Gonzalez-Alegre's efforts over the last 18 months to establish a multidisciplinary HD Clinic in the city of Philadelphia to serve the regions' HD patients and families. HDSA Centers of Excellence are selected through a competitive process based on their ability to provide "an elite multidisciplinary approach to Huntington's disease care and research".
"In addition to recognizing the quality of our services, the Center of Excellence designation by the HDSA will provide the Center with funds to further improve the care received by patients and families cared for in this multidisciplinary HD Clinic", Dr. Gonzalez-Alegre said. "The HD families that come to our Center receive the best available clinical care, support, education and access to research. Becoming a HDSA Center of Excellence will translate into a significant growth in the number of families that can benefit from these services". He added, "besides providing excellent clinical care, we devote significant efforts to innovative research through a close collaboration between the Perelman Center for Cellular & Molecular Therapeutics at CHOP and the UPenn HD Center. Our goal is to develop much needed new therapies for this devastating disease."
The UPenn HD Center provides individualized, multi-disciplinary, family-centered care for families living ith HD. The HD Center is located at 330 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. An inaugural symposium to present the UPenn HD Center will be held on Friday, April 8th, 2016 from 9a-12p in the Zubrow Auditorium of Pennsylvania Hospital. For referrals and more information about the clinic, please contact Linda D. Schnolis, BSN, RN at 215-829-5176.