Akron Children's Research Update -- Fall 2019

Because of your interest in our research efforts, we wanted you to be among the first to know that Bruce Cohen, M.D., F.A.A.N. has been named interim vice president and medical director for the Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute. Dr. Cohen will continue to serve Akron Children’s as a pediatric neurologist and director of our NeuroDevelopmental Science Center, while jointly leading the research institute with James Brazeal, vice president of research administration. This leadership change was necessitated by the departure of chief research officer Michael Kelly, M.D., Ph.D. earlier this month. We acknowledge the contributions of Dr. Kelly over the past two years, and we wish him well in his future endeavors. In his work to uncover treatments for patients with mitochondrial diseases, Dr. Cohen has become one of the world’s leading experts. Although there are no cures for mitochondrial diseases, Dr. Cohen looks for one every day. As a result of his work and our hospital’s commitment to helping him build an infrastructure for conducting mitochondrial clinical trials, Akron Children’s is one of the country’s leading institutions researching treatments. Before joining Akron Children’s as director of pediatric neurology and program director for mitochondrial research, Dr. Cohen served as chief of pediatric neurology for Cleveland Clinic. He received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed his pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, pediatric neurology residency at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and an American Cancer Society neuro-oncology fellowship in Philadelphia.

As vice president of research administration, James Brazeal has been working for the last year to establish strategic goals for the research institute, while ensuring that Akron Children’s research facilities and scientific operations are effectively and efficiently supporting our investigators their scientific pursuits. Before joining Akron Children’s, Brazeal served as chief administrative officer for research for Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pennsylvania. Previously, he was executive director of technology development, transfer and commercialization for Geisinger, and also served as director of technology commercialization at The University of Missouri-Kansas City. Brazeal graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in biology and holds a juris doctor from The University of Missouri-Kansas City. Our commitment to research remains a core part of our mission at Akron Children’s. We look forward to sharing the work of our talented and dedicated researchers and appreciate your support as we move through this transition. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 330-543-3193 or email us.