Singapore, 07 July, 2010 - Associate Professor Tan Eng King, Senior Consultant, Neurology Department, the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) - Singapore General Hospital campus, becomes the first Singaporean doctor to be elected to the American Neurological Association (ANA), after securing a majority vote from ANA members, selection committee and executive council. The ANA, founded in 1875, is a professional society of academic neurologists and neuroscientists devoted to advancing the goals of academic neurology and to training and educating neurologists. Another key objective of the association is to expand understanding of diseases of the nervous system and ability to treat them. ANA in their statement has cited Dr Tan’s "substantial contributions to academic Neurology and Neuroscience" and "promise for continued leadership in the field" for the selection.

Professor Wszolek Zbigniew from Mayo clinic, USA highlighted that "It is an honor for a non-American neurologist from Asia to be elected as an ANA member. Dr Tan joins a small select group of Asian neurologists who will lead the academic neurosciences. His election to the ANA has been based on his major accomplishments as a clinical neurologist, leading scientist and strong educator. Dr Tan has demonstrated a continued commitment for advancement of the field of neurology in all these three platforms."

Professor Lee Wei Ling, director of the NNI, added that "I personally view most rewards with indifference. But I am proud of Dr Tan's election as it is granted based on academic contribution that was built on a foundation of excellent patient care. Despite NNI’s limited resources, our unique organizational structure, the closely-knit spirit, and strong clinical services help promote academic excellence and our staff continues to receive international recognition for their clinical and research excellence."

Associate Prof Tan is a National Medical Research Council clinician scientist and a faculty at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School. His primary research interests are in genetic epidemiology and the molecular mechanism underpinning disease causing genes in Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, clinical and imaging trials in neurodegenerative diseases. Associate Prof Tan has received support for his research from SingHealth Services, Singapore General Hospital and Singapore Millennium Foundation.

Associate Prof Tan will be officially inducted to the ANA membership during the 135th Annual Meeting of the ANA in San Francisco later this year.