Awards & Recognitions – July 2026
Arizona Cardinals Foundation Grant
Barrow Neurological Foundation has received a $400,000 grant from the Arizona Cardinals Foundation to establish a transitional care platform for intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) at Barrow Neurological Institute. This critical support marks the launch of a three-year commitment from the Arizona Cardinals Foundation, dedicated to funding collaborative programs that promote inclusion and create equal opportunities for individuals living with IDDs.
Fellow, American Society of Spine Radiology
Wende Gibbs, MD, a neuroradiologist and the director of spine imaging and intervention at Barrow, has been inducted as a fellow into the American Society of Spine Radiology. This distinction recognizes Dr. Gibbs’ dedication to advancing the field of spine care.
Atkinson Chair for Research
Barrow Neurological Foundation has named Ruchira Jha, MD, MSc, the Atkinson Chair for Research at Barrow Neurological Institute. Dr. Jha, director of the Neurocritical Care Program, performs clinical and translational research in neurotrauma and neurocritical care. She is particularly interested in developing a precision medicine approach to clinically important secondary injury processes, like brain swelling and hemorrhage progression, after acute brain injury.
Brain Aneurysm Foundation Grants
NYC Marathon Chair of Research
Hiroki Kobayashi, MD, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Barrow Aneurysm and AVM Research Center, has received a $50,000 research grant from the Brain Aneurysm Foundation to study the role of periostin-expressing activated fibroblasts in intracranial aneurysm development. His work is funded by the Foundation’s NYC Marathon Chair of Research.
Wes Carr Chair of Research & Kati Lorge Chair of Research
Hirotaka Sato, MD, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Barrow Aneurysm and AVM Research Center, has received a $35,000 research grant from the Brain Aneurysm Foundation to study the role of DNMT3A-driven clonal hematopoiesis in intracranial aneurysm rupture. His work is funded by the Foundation’s Wes Carr Chair of Research and Kati Lorge Chair of Research
International Research Poster Competition
Ira Bagga, who has completed her second summer in the Barrow High School Internship Program, recently presented a research project from her internship at an international competition and placed in the top 75 in the world in her category. Ira was accepted into the competition at the HOSA-Future Health Professionals International Leadership Conference after placing first at the state level. Her project focused on the mechanisms and therapeutic potential related to Matrin 3 and RNA modifications in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). She worked under the mentorship of David Medina, PhD, and associate professor the Bowser Laboratory.
Newsweek’s Best Neurological Hospitals in US
Newsweek has again named Barrow Neurological Institute one of the top hospitals in the country for neurological care. The No. 23 ranking recognizes our commitment to providing top-tier care for neurological conditions, specifically noting our expertise in Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, neurological infections, brain tumor surgery, and epilepsy surgery.
Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke
Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center has earned the 2026 Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award with Target: Stroke™ Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll. Granted by the American Heart Association, the award recognizes our dedication to timely, appropriate stroke treatment in accordance with nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines.