Managing challenges for women in neurology

Prof Catherine Lubetzki is a distinguished French neurologist, celebrated for her pioneering research in multiple sclerosis (MS). She is an Emeritus professor at Sorbonne University and previously led the Department of Neurology at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, where she also coordinates the hospital’s MS clinical research centre.

Lubetzki completed her medical training at Paris Descartes University and earned her doctorate from Pierre and Marie Curie University, focusing on myelin and its role in the nervous system. Early in her career, she collaborated with neuropharmacologist Jacques Glowinski at the Collège de France, which inspired her commitment to neurology and MS research.

In 1996, Lubetzki demonstrated the role of electrical activity in the process of central nervous system (CNS) myelination. Her work revealed that action potentials in axons influence myelin formation and conduction velocity, a breakthrough in understanding nerve signal transmission. She further identified the critical role of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in myelination, paving the way for innovative repair strategies. She also identified several cues acting either on promotion or blockade of CNS myelination. Currently, she is investigating pro-myelinating therapies and the impact of electrical stimulation at the Paris Brain Institute (ICM).

Lubetzki’s numerous accolades include the Grand Prix Scientifique de la Fondation NRJ (2008), the International Pasteur-Weissman prize (2021), and the Charcot Award from the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (2019), where she was the first female recipient. She continues to serve in key leadership roles, advancing research and improving outcomes for individuals living with MS.

Prof. Irena Rektorova is Head of the Movement Disorders Centre at the First Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, and Coordinator of the Brain and Mind Research Programme at the Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic.

Her main clinical and research interests include movement disorders, degenerative brain diseases with cognitive impairment, brain imaging and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. She is Chair of the European Academy of Neurology’s Programme Committee and a member of the Management Group of the EAN Neuroimaging Scientific Panel, as well as other relevant panels. She is also a member of the Steering Committee of the Neuroimaging Study Group of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society and a member of its Congress Scientific Programme Committee. She has worked as an Associate Editor for Parkinsonism and Related Disorders journal and the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Irena Rektorova has previously served on the EAN Board as Chair of the Education Committee (2023-2024) and as Chair of the EAN Teaching Course sub-Committee (2020-2022).

Prof. Alina Kulakowska is a neurologist and academic lecturer with over 30 years of professional experience. She is employed at the Department of Neurology at the Medical University of Bialystok (Poland), where she actively contributes to both clinical practice and academic development. Her primary areas of expertise and research include neuroimmunological disorders and infectious diseases affecting the nervous system. Prof. Alina Kulakowska played an important role in preparing the recommendations of the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Neuroimmunology Section of the Polish Neurological Society for the diagnosis and treatment of MS. Her efforts were instrumental in bringing about changes to the multiple sclerosisMS treatment drug programme, significantly improving access to disease-modifying therapies for the MS patients in Poland.

In addition to her clinical and research activities, Prof. Alina Kulakowska serves as the president of the Polish Neurological Society. In this role, she actively promotes collaboration within the neurological  community.